WARREN A Warren man pleaded not guilty to charges filed after police say his child suffered a gunshot wound and five neglected dogs were found at his home.

Nirell Frank, 23, was arrested Thursday on one count of child endangering and five animal cruelty charges. He was arraigned Friday morning in Warren Municipal Court.

The police investigation began at St. Joseph Warren Hospital, where a child arrived with a gunshot wound to a finger. The child’s age has been removed from the police report, which does not state how the child was shot.

According to a Warren Police report, the child was wounded at a home on Prospect Avenue NW. Police went to the home where they said they found five dogs whose care had been neglected.

Jason Cooke, whose Health Hearts and Paws Project is caring for the animals, told 21 News that the dogs aren’t in bad health. However, Cooke says the dogs were living among feces and urine inside the home.

“When I go in somewhere if I can’t breathe and my eyes start watering then imagine what it's like for the dogs to have to breathe that in and out all day long all night long and who are so much more sensitive the humans are to obnoxious odors like that,” Cooke said.

All of the dogs are from the same family. Cooke believes Frank was running a backyard breeding situation where he was selling the dogs for thousands of dollars without a license.

Cooke has seen dozens of this same situation of dogs in poor conditions saying it's a county wide issue that goes undetected unless people report suspected cruelty and neglect.

“It’s sad that it takes an injury to a child for it to come to light," Cooke said. “There's a lot going on behind the scenes that were not made aware of unfortunately until it might be too late.”

As part of his bond, Frank is prohibited from having contact with the minor child and is not allowed to own, harbor, or possess any animals. There is no word on the condition of the child. 

The dogs are not available for adoption while the court proceedings are happening but Healthy Hearts and Paws is trying to find five different foster homes for now. The can be reached at (234) 855-5847.

As of Friday, Frank was still being held in the Trumbull County Jail.

Frank's next court date is scheduled for a contested case hearing on Sept. 25 at 1:30 p.m.

 

Nirell Frank
Nirell Frank