Animal neglect charges have been bound over against a Warren woman as a result of a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

Elizabeth A. Sutliff, 43, faces two counts each of aggravated cruelty to animals — a felony — and misdemeanor cruelty to animals, online court records show.

Her daughter, Hannah Sutliff, previously waived her right to a preliminary hearing on identical charges. That case was continued last month in the county Court of Common Pleas.

Karen Kolos, executive director of the Paws Along The River Humane Society, testified first on Wednesday and said she received a phone call from a man who had been in a relationship with Hannah Sutliff who reported a dead puppy in the basement of a Prospect Street residence.

She testified that she then worked with City of Warren police and a search warrant was obtained for the residence. When they arrived on Aug. 26 she said a dog could be heard scratching at the door to the basement and that a dog was observed deceased in the basement.

Kolos said she was told that the dogs belonged to Hannah Sutliff, who was not at the residence that day. She testified that Hannah Sutliff and the individual who reported the situation had gotten the puppies — about 6 months old at the time — together and had since broken up.

She confirmed that the Humane Society still has both dogs.

City of Warren Police Officer Gary Doolittle testified that Elizabeth Sutliff “was aware” that the dogs were in her basement but told them they belonged to Hannah Sutliff.

Doolittle said Elizabeth Sutliff was the last individual to feed the dogs, which occurred a few days prior.

The living dog was “nothing but skin and bones,” he told the court. Regarding the deceased dog, he testified that “it’s eyes were missing and there were maggots.”

Elizabeth Sutliff’s attorney, Elizabeth Feronti, pointed out that the ex-boyfriend had seen the dead dog the day before and was potentially a responsible owner.

She was critical that he was not charged while Elizabeth Sutliff was.

Doolittle testified that the animals were not residing with the individual who made the report.

The Commonwealth then called Dr. Aimee Tatrn, a veterinarian with Kinzua Veterinary Clinic, who performed a necropsy, or an autopsy, and provided treatment to the living animal in the wake of the event.

She said the living dog was “grossly underweight” as well as covered in fleas and had worms in its stool.

Dr. Tatrn testified that fabric and styrofoam pellets were the only things found in the stomach of the deceased dog and confirmed that the animal died due to lack of food and water.

She was asked to assess how long the dog had been dead and said that the “advanced decomposition” led her to believe the animal had been deceased “at least three days.”

She told the court that the living dog “has done wonderful,” and put on 16 pounds between that first visit and a visit in October.

Feronti in closing arguments stressed that her client did not have any responsibility to the dog and said she was sorry if members of the public feel differently.

“This didn’t happen overnight,” she said. “This is Hannah’s responsibility.”

Assistant District Attorney Casey Strickland said there is no statute language requiring ownership to commit neglect or abuse and noted there was no paper trail to link the dogs to the individual who reported. “He left the dogs to Hannah,” she said.

She pointed out that the animals were living in Elizabeth Sutliff’s home and that the only access to where the dogs were was through her apartment.

“Nobody made a decision to care for these dogs,” she said.

The burden of proof at a preliminary hearing is a prima facia case – the Commonwealth must prove that a crime was committed and that the accused was likely the one who committed the crime.

District Judge Raymond Zydonik ruled the Commonwealth met that burden.

“All the charges will move forward,” he said.