This German Shepherd puppy died after what Patrick Jamison said was about 2 weeks left with no food or water. (Photos and video provided by Patrick Jamison)

The necropsy performed on a puppy found deceased and chained in a Burket yard confirms the German Shepherd died of starvation.

Dr. Richard Brungardt of Lakeland Animal Clinic in Syracuse performed the necropsy on the puppy after it and a second German Shepherd puppy was found by Patrick Jamison on Sunday. Jamison lives next door to 107 E. Center St. in Burket where he took video Sunday afternoon of the puppies and their environment and called the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department asking an officer to investigate. (See related story and video)

Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton told StaceyPageOnline.com that his office received the completed investigation today and noted at least one charge of animal cruelty is being filed against the puppies owner, Laci Bailey.

Sunday night, Jamison returned to his neighbor’s property to check on the puppies and found the female deceased. The male puppy had begun to consume his littermate. Jamison removed the male puppy at that time and took it into his own care. Kosciusko County Animal Control Officer Jerry Clase went Monday afternoon to investigate and took possession of both the carcass and the surviving puppy and ordered the necropsy on the deceased dog.

According to Dr. Brungardt’s findings, the necropsy found the female puppy’s death was the cause of “extreme malnourishment.” The stomach contents of the puppy held leaves, hair, sticks and small stones and less than a tablespoon of partially digested food. The gall bladder was also “extremely distended due to a lack of food” and the intestines were essentially void.

Bailey twice spoke with StaceyPageOnline.com and insisted she did not starve the two puppies, which she said she had owned for approximately two months (See related). She said the puppies likely had parvovirus, a highly contagious condition that can quickly kill dogs, and said she fed the puppies Sunday night (See related story).

The investigation by KCSD deputy Joel Poppenfoose and county animal control officer Jerry Clase found no evidence of food, only “nasty water” in a kiddie pool and nearby food dishes. In his report, Clase said Bailey had no explanation why the puppies food dish had black water in it and no food.

According to Hampton, the necropsy found no signs of infection in the deceased puppy, although it did have parasites. On Tuesday, lab tech Libby Flock of the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County confirmed that the male German Shepherd removed from Bailey’s home also tested negative for the parvovirus and was improving in their care.

Hampton said an initial charge of cruelty to an animal is being requested against Bailey, but his office will further investigate. In Indiana, the crime is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by no more than 1 year in jail and a fine not to exceed $5,000. However, the prosecutor noted that the charge can be increased to a Class D felony if Bailey “knowingly or intentionally tortured” the puppies. A Class D felony is punishable by 6 months to 3 years in jail and a fine not to exceed $10,000.