Florida man arrested after injured dog found in dumpster had to be put down, deputies say

Man arrested after dog injured found in dumpster, left to die

A man has been arrested after deputies say he left a dog in a dumpster, leaving the animal to die, authorities reported. The 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix was found alive but severely injured and later euthanized due to a skull fracture, officials said.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A 79-year-old man was arrested on a felony animal cruelty charge after deputies said an injured dog was found inside a dumpster behind a Kissimmee business.

The dog, a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix named Max, was euthanized due to a severe skull fracture.

What we know:

On Saturday, deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a dog in distress behind a business along Cypress Parkway. An employee who was taking out trash heard an animal crying and discovered a small dog inside a dumpster, authorities said.

When deputies arrived, they found the dog injured and whimpering in pain. The animal was taken to a veterinarian but was euthanized because of the severity of its injuries, which included a skull fracture, according to investigators.

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Authorities reviewed surveillance video that showed a man getting out of a pickup truck, removing the dog from the truck bed, placing it in a box and throwing it into the dumpster, deputies said.

Victor Carrion-Flores, 79, was arrested on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty causing excessive pain or death, a third-degree felony.

Investigators later identified the dog as a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix named Max and located images of the animal on social media while following up on leads.

On March 8, deputies interviewed the dog’s owner, Victor Manuel Carrion-Flores, at the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

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Carrion-Flores told deputies the dog had a history of escaping from his home and that he found the animal injured on March 7 but did not know where it had been hurt. He said he was "too busy" to deal with the dog’s injuries and believed the dog would eventually die from them, according to deputies.

What we don't know:

The extent of the dog's injuries was not released, but authorities noted a skull fracture. How it was injured is not conclusive. 

Although he denied injuring the dog, investigators said Carrion-Flores failed to seek medical care for the animal despite its obvious distress.

Victor Carrion-Flores, 79, was arrested on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty causing excessive pain or death, a third-degree felony.

He was arrested on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty causing excessive pain or death, a third-degree felony, and booked into the Osceola County Jail, authorities said.