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Foul Odor Leads Police to Dead Dogs in Storage Unit
21 Jul
Summary
- Two Labrador retrievers died in a storage unit.
- The unit allegedly lacked food, water, and ventilation.
- The owner faces animal cruelty and neglect charges.
On July 19, 2026, Bunnell Police responded to a storage facility following a report from a tenant who detected a strong, foul odor and noticed a lack of usual dog sounds from a specific unit. Officers arrived at Moore Space and Storage and, upon investigation, discovered two deceased female black Labrador retrievers, identified as Ava and Karma, within the unit rented by Alexia Veronica Barquet, 21.
Authorities allege the dogs were kept without adequate food, water, exercise, ventilation, or effective cooling. Barquet informed officers that she had been experiencing post-partum depression since giving birth on June 6, 2026, and had not checked on the dogs as frequently. She claimed to have found Ava deceased earlier that week and Karma on July 17, 2026. Flagler Animal Services confirmed that Barquet had previously been warned in March 2026 about leaving animals in the storage unit overnight.
Barquet was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two counts of confinement or abandonment of animals without adequate care. She was released on a $6,000 bond on July 19, 2026. Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon condemned the incident as a "disgusting case of animal cruelty," emphasizing the severe responsibility of pet ownership and the department's zero-tolerance policy for animal abuse.
