Woman accused of neglect makes request

CANTON — An Ogdensburg woman accused of failing to provide 22 horses with proper care asked a St. Lawrence County judge Monday to allow her to move them to an Amish farm in Heuvelton to be cared for during the winter.

Carol Elmer, of 202 Ford St., pleaded innocent in June to 37 misdemeanor counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, and failure to provide food and water.

The first 22 counts of the indictment relate to the reported neglect of the horses found in December, with the remaining counts coming from a Jan. 8 search warrant executed at the Cold Springs Road property in Lisbon.

Assistant District Attorney Rosemary R. Phillips said in court her office will inspect the farm in the next 10 days to make sure the horses will be properly cared for and have adequate shelter.

A state police investigation reportedly found the horses were eating their own manure owing to a lack of hay.

Some of the animals had seeping wounds, deep bite marks and hide loss because of injuries and weather-related infection.

Defense attorney Richard V. Manning made the request for Ms. Elmer.