Animals in Woman’s Freezer Apparently Died of Natural Causes

Domestic animals found in the freezer of a Yorba Linda woman last week apparently died of natural causes, officials said Friday.

Toxicological tests are still pending, but there was no obvious trauma to the 12 puppies, 2 cats, 6 kittens, a wild bird and a tortoise found inside the freezer at the home of Patricia Lynn Monte, 41, said Ron Hudson, chief of shelter services for Orange County Animal Control.

“They were all intact, there were no wounds and no indication why they wouldn’t die” of natural causes, Hudson said.

Brea police were called to Monte’s home in the 5500 block of Tamarisk Drive on Dec. 14 on a report of child endangerment.

Discovered Carcasses

When they checked the refrigerator to see whether the child was being property fed, they discovered the 22 animal carcasses, Detective Sgt. Ed McDonald said. Authorities do not know why the animals were stored there.

Monte’s 11-year-old son was taken into protective custody and transferred to Orangewood, the county home for neglected and abused children. The child was released from Orangewood earlier this week, but McDonald said he is not sure if the boy was returned to his mother or another relative.

Monte is scheduled to be in court Jan. 18. Police have recommended that the district attorney charge her with child endangerment.

No Cruelty Charges

Hudson said Orange County Animal Control officials do not have any reason to recommend that charges be brought against Monte for cruelty to animals.

Veterinarians also examined 20 live animals--13 dogs and 7 cats--that were found at Monte’s home. They were found to be healthy and were returned to Monte Thursday, Hudson said.

The causes of the deaths of the animals have not yet been found, but veterinarians have determined:

The puppies died within hours of birth.

The kittens died of a contagious upper-respiratory infection.

The bird tried to leave the nest before it could fly and died when it fell to the ground.

The tortoise starved to death, possibly because of an illness.

The results of toxicological tests, which will determine if the animals were poisoned, will be available in about 6 weeks, Hudson said.