Dog was found dead in car last year in Coachella
An Irvine woman pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony charge of animal cruelty.
She’s accused of leaving her dog in her hot car in Coachella last year, causing the dog’s death.
30-year old Charu Khanna remains free on $5,000 bail and is due back in court in August.
A CHP officer found the pug inside a parked car at a Del Taco in Coachella.
They say the car had been parked there for more than a day as temperatures climbed above 100 degrees.
Khanna claims the car had a mechanical problem which is why she left it there.
If found guilty, she wouldn’t be eligible for parole because of two prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine.
