SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A trial date has been set for one of two people facing nearly 100 counts of animal cruelty-related charges, stemming from what investigators say were dead and neglected horses found in their possession.
Janet Aston, 73, pleaded not guilty Friday morning to all 96 counts in an indictment that alleges she failed to provide care for agricultural animals in the 1200 block of Buckhorn Drive.
It was in January 2025 that Suffolk Police’s Animal Control Division found 22 horses exhibiting signs of neglect and six deceased horses in varying states of decomposition at the property, owned by Aston’s brother Dr. Sherrell Aston, across the street from Aston’s home.
The living horses were seized and sent to other farms for rehabilitation. While other horses found at the property were initially allowed to remain, they have all since been forfeited, according to court records. Aston and her husband, William Shelton, are prohibited from purchasing or getting new horses…