According to the affidavit obtained by Voice For Us, on May 6, 2024, the Volusia County Communications Center received a call requesting a wellbeing check at a property on 318 E Beresford Avenue in DeLand.
The caller explained she is the owner of Liquid Leisure Pools and that she was hired to clean the pool of the aforementioned property. She advised that she could smell “a strong, foul odor coming from the household.” The caller further advised that she looked through the window and saw several animals living in horrible conditions. The caller added that the dogs she saw inside the home were emaciated and the window shades were damaged.
Deputies responded to the scene and met with the reporting party.
In front of the property in question, was parked a white Volkswagen that had cobwebs on it leading deputies to believe the vehicle had not been moved for an extended period of time.
Deputies also noticed the strong smell coming from the residence and requested assistance from Volusia County Fire Rescue to make forced entry into the property.
Once inside the property, as deputies were looking for the homeowner, they came across an English Bulldog “locked in a cage with feces and urine in it.” According to the affidavit, the dog “appeared to be very malnourished and weak when attempting to stand.”
The room where the dog was found was “filthy with dog feces all over the floor and couch, and urine spread about.” The affidavit also stated: “There was food and trash everywhere and the house appeared as if it had not been cleaned in some time.”
In the kitchen, deputies saw dishes and food piled up on the counters. There was a bird cage in the corner of the kitchen with two dead birds inside.
In a bedroom, deputies found two live dogs who were very malnourished and locked inside a cage, they saw a deceased Bloodhound.
Additionally, in the same room, deputies discovered two snakes and a lizard who were still alive, and two skeletonized lizards inside of tanks.
When deputies went into the basement, they found two dead cats who “appeared to be starting to disintegrate into the carpet.”
Eventually, deputies were able to make contact with the resident of the home, BOUCHER.
When she arrived, she told deputies that her husband was diagnosed with renal disease and has been hospitalized. She also said that he wanted to give up the animals “due to it being ‘too much’.”
According to the affidavit, BOUCHER said she was aware there were two dead birds in the kitchen but she did not know about the dead cats in the basement. BOUCHER stated she had not seen or checked on them since December 2023.
Volusia Animal Control Services arrived on scene to assist with the investigation.
As Detectives were completing a walk-through of the residence, they discovered a deceased Basset Hound locked in a cage. The dog was extremely emaciated with his/her ribs, spinal vertebrae, and pelvic bones easily visible and protruding through the skin. As stated in the affidavit, “The dog appeared to lack any form of muscle meat” and his/her nails were “severely unkept and long.”
In one of the rooms, Detectives found many tanks “which appeared to house reptiles.”
In some of them were deceased lizards. In different tanks, Detectives found a Gecko, a Ball Python, and a Corn Snake who were still alive.
The following, is a list of the animals found on the property included in the affidavit (all ages are estimated):
· A Foxhound mix (eight- to nine-years-old) named Duncan was found “in poor health condition with dirty ears, fleas, eye debris, sunken eyes, a small wound by the tail, and protruding bones (ribs, pelvic, and spinal vertebrae).”
· The two dead birds found in the kitchen named “the Finches” were acquired by BOUCHER six months ago.
· The two cats found dead in the basement were a white and tan colored male (three- to four-years-old) named Little Boy, and a gray Tabby with white markings (eight- to nine-years-old) named Beau.
· A gray Tabby cat (seven- to eight- years- old) named Mulder was found alive but in poor health condition. Mulder has alopecia and scabbing along with fleas.
· A brown Tabby cat (seven- to eight- years old) named Scully, also found in poor health condition.
· A crested Gecko named Charlie was found deceased.
· A Leopard Gecko (three- to five-years-old) named Evelyn was found alive.
· An Egg Eater snake named Ethel was found alive.
· A Plated lizard (three- to four-years-old) named Penelope was found alive.
· A Pictus (Ocelot) Gecko was found dead and had been dead since December 2023.
· A crested Gecko named Una was found deceased.
· A Ball Python (eight- to nine-years-old) named Jobu was found alive.
· A Corn Snake (four- to five-years-old) named Cornelius was found alive.
· A Redbone Coonhound mix (four- to six-years-old) named Dutch was found in poor health condition. Dutch had a flea infestation and ear discharge.
· An English Bulldog (one- to two-years-old) named Prue was found “in poor health condition and in a harness saturated with feces and urine. Prue had dirty ears, fleas, bloody stool, and had visible bones (ribs, pelvic, and spinal vertebrae) protruding through the skin.” BOUCHER said she acquired Prue in September 2023.
· A Tortoise named Hermes, whom BOUCHER bought in January 2024, was found in a tank with wilted lettuce.
· A Tarantula (two- to three-years-old) named Tiger was found alive.
· A Basset Hound (two-years-old) named Walter was found deceased. BOUCHER said he had gotten sick in early April 2024.
None of the animals on scene had access to food or water until deputies and Animal Control provided them.
None of the tanks had any source of heat for the animals housed inside.
All the Voiceless Victims (living and deceased) were collected by Animal Control Services to be evaluated by a trained medical professional.
When BOUCHER was questioned by one of the Detectives, she confessed “she did not feed the animals due to a lack of accessibility, but rather it was an act of laziness and irresponsibility.”
BOUCHER stated “she did not realize the extent of the conditions of the animals and was in denial.” Additionally, BOUCHER said “she feeds the animals three to five times a week, but has gone five days straight without feeding them in the past.”
The affidavit stated: “Based on the conditions of the animals, it is highly unlikely Ashley feeds the animals three to five times a week on a consistent and regular basis. Ashley appeared to be of obese weight and clearly taking care of her own needs such as food, water, and shelter (as her bedroom was the only room which was cleaned appropriately). Ashley is physically capable of providing sufficient care [for] the animals (able to maintain a full time job and has the financial means); however, exhibited laziness and a lack of responsibility resulting in the extreme neglect of her animals. Ashley had the ability to utilize her phone to search the internet for local resources and to contact Animal Control or local rescues to surrender the animals prior to allowing their health to get to the current state; however, failed to do so.”
BOUCHER also told Detectives she has not taken any of her animals to a veterinarian clinic in the past two years. She was unable to recall the name of the clinic where she last took two of the dogs.
BOUCHER was arrested on Monday, May 6, 2024, and booked at the Volusia County Jail on twenty (20) felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty and eight (8) misdemeanor counts of confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise.
Bond was set at $54,000 which she was able to post.
Court records show BOUCHER will be arraigned on June 6, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office tells me that the three “surviving dogs are doing well. All of them are going home with deputies who responded to the call and are now adopting them.”
Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the arrest affidavit provided to Voice For Us. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.
In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.
BOUCHER’s mugshot shared from the Volusia County Jail
