A Florida woman was accused of animal cruelty after investigators found seven malnourished horses at her house. One of the animals later died.

Investigators were notified about the horses Oct. 24 and met with Nicole Hutchins, 32, in an attempt to improve the animals’ conditions, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said.

However, deputies and Pasco County Fire Rescue workers were called back to Hutchins’ home Wednesday to help with a horse that was unable to get up. The horse later died.

Investigators took custody of the remaining six horses and will petition the court for possession of them in order to auction them.

Hutchins was arrested and charged with animal cruelty.

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Former AJC reporter Joshua Sharpe has expanded his newspaper article about a man's wrongful conviction into a book, “The Man No One Believed: The Untold Story of the Georgia Church Murders.” (Courtesy of Shannon Byrne)

Credit: Shannon Byrne