A Hardin County woman is facing nearly 40 felony animal torture charges.
Friday morning at approximately 10:30, the Radcliff Police Department arrested 27-year-old Morgan J. Barrick, of Radcliff, after she was indicted Thursday on 36 counts of torture of a dog/cat with serious physical injury or death, a class D felony.
The charges stem from an incident in May 2023 where Barrick was arrested on 35 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor, following police locating 21 dead dogs and 35 dogs, including 12 puppies, suffering from malnutrition, according to a report by The News-Enterprise.
Nineteen of the dead dogs were found inside Barrick’s home, while two were in a van that is registered to the suspect. Several carcasses were also found on the property and are not included in the 21 dogs found deceased.
After further investigation, and in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the Hardin Co. Office of Animal Control, the Hardin Co. Attorney’s Office, and the Hardin Co. Commonwealths Attorney’s Office, the case against Barrick was presented to a Hardin Co. Grand Jury on Thursday, which voted to indict Barrick “for the felony offenses presented to them,” according to Radcliff PD Det. Kenny Mattingly.
The one additional count of torture added since Barrick’s original arrest in May comes from a case in 2022 where a dog died while under the suspect’s care.
Barrick was lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center but is free after posting a $5,000 bond.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
