11-month-old puppy dies of starvation in Lee County apartment; Woman faces animal cruelty charge

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. —

A North Fort Myers woman was arrested after deputies say she reportedly starved her puppy to death.

Lee County deputies arrested Neah Copeland on Monday.

On Saturday, a woman called the Lee County Sheriff's Office to check on her daughter who lives at an apartment complex in North Fort Myers. She told deputies her daughter was upset about the passing of her puppy two days prior.

When deputies arrived at the apartment, they found the puppy lifeless in its crate.

The puppy was an 11-month-old terrier mix. Deputies say the dog only weighed a few pounds and died from starvation.

The sheriff says the puppy had been adopted from a local shelter in August 2025 when it was just two months old. Since August, the puppy had only gained two pounds.

Copeland told deputies she lived a busy lifestyle and reportedly couldn't remember the last time the dog had been fed.

"She'll get fed in jail while this poor puppy starved to death. I look at the picture, and it makes me sick to my stomach that people exist like this in this world. It's unacceptable," said Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Deputies arrested Copeland on a charge of animal cruelty. LCSO says Copeland has no criminal history.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.