Sky Valley woman accused of animal cruelty dies amid case

Editor's Note: The Riverside County District Attorney's office issued a correction on its information related to this case. Officials said the charges were dropped because the woman died as the case was ongoing.

A Sky Valley woman accused in a 2013 animal hoarding case had her charges dropped following her death, officials said.

Bernadette Schwenn, 76, faced 10 felony animal cruelty counts, four misdemeanor animal cruelty counts, and 20 misdemeanor counts of improper care and attention to animals.

The 34 counts were dismissed Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Thalia Hayden of the District Attorney's Office said.

Schwenn was arrested in 2013 and accused of mistreating at least 16 dogs, according to a criminal complaint which accused her of  "willfully and unlawfully subjecting'' her pets to various forms of "needless suffering," "unnecessary cruelty'' and "abuse."

The complaint accused the defendant of multiple forms of neglect, alleging she failed to provide the animals with adequate food, water, shelter and protection from the weather, and allowed them to remain in various locations without sufficient care and attention.

At least seven of Schwenn's dogs were impounded over the course of the trial, according to the complaint.