A North Carolina woman has been charged with cruelty to animals after leaving her dog in a hot car for almost two hours at a Vian apartment complex.

Lillian Crump, 26, was formally charged on July 17 and received a $3,000 bond. She is now scheduled to appear for an August 28 arraignment before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters.

Vian Police officer Caleb J. Taylor reported just after 10 a.m. on July 14 he was flagged down by a woman stating there was a dog locked in a hot car at Gardenwalk Apartments. The officer said when he arrived, the windows of the vehicle were slightly cracked and saw a brindle-colored dog inside panting heavily. Taylor said the car was not running and locked, and there was no food or water for the dog inside the vehicle.

Taylor informed his supervisor that he couldn’t locate the owner of the dog and it seemed to be in distress. The temperature at that time recorded 89 degrees and a heat index of 93, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case. The inside temp of the vehicle at that time was 137 degrees and the witness told the officer the dog had been in the vehicle for about one and onehalf hours.

As the officer was preparing to break the window out, Crump came out of the apartments and identified the car as hers. When she was questioned about how long the dog was inside, she claimed that it had only been for 10 to 15 minutes. The officer told her a witness had seen the dog in the car much longer and she was then placed under arrest for animal cruelty.

At the police department, Crump reportedly admitted to the supervisor the dog had in fact been in the car for one and one-half to two hours, according to the affidavit.

The dog was transported to a vet clinic in Fort Smith, Ark.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said if found guilty of the charge, it is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.