Highly trained police dog dies after deputy leaves the dog in a hot patrol car overnight but he will not face any charges

  • Deputy Kevin Williams was on duty with the police dog called 'Kela'
  • He was distracted by a phone call asking him to pick up his sick child
  • He fed the dog when he got home but forgot to take him out the of the car
  • The next morning Kela was found dead inside the vehicle
  • The deputy will not face any charges over the dog's death 

By Belinda Robinson For Mail Online

Published: | Updated:

A highly trained police dog died in a deputy's patrol car after he accidentally left the dog in the hot car overnight.

Deputy Kevin Williams, a North Carolina sheriff’s deputy handler was on duty with the dog but became distracted when he received a call to pick up his sick child from school.

He then went home and fed the Belgian Shepherd, but forgot to take the dog called 'Kela' out of the cruiser all night according to WITN.

Deputy: Kevin Williams, a North Carolina sheriff¿s deputy handler was on duty with the dog but became distracted when he received a call to pick up his sick child from school

Deputy: Kevin Williams, a North Carolina sheriff’s deputy handler was on duty with the dog but became distracted when he received a call to pick up his sick child from school

Death:  Kela was found dead inside the vehicle after she was left inside it overnight by a deputy

Death:  Kela was found dead inside the vehicle after she was left inside it overnight by a deputy

The next morning Kela was found dead inside the vehicle.

But the deputy will not face any charges over the dog's death.

According to the District Attorney’s office there was no criminal intent and so there will not be any charges.

Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace described it as a 'tragic accident.'

He said Williams had been working with the cross trained dog for over four years and it was the first time that anything like this had occurred.

Wallace said he believes it was truly an accident.

Devastated: Williams was 'devastated' that the dog had died because he loved him very much 

Devastated: Williams was 'devastated' that the dog had died because he loved him very much 

He said Williams was 'devastated' that the dog had died because he loved him very much.

The deputy has since been reassigned to a job as a courthouse bailiff.

Veterinarian Dr Owen Martin from Warsaw Animal hospital told WITN: 'In 10 to 20 minutes the temperature will rise pretty good in a car'. 

'On a hot summers day it's well over 100 [degrees] in 10 to 20 minutes. Keep in mind at 107 degrees the body system starts to fail and you can't survive much longer than that.'

 


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