PCSO: Elderly woman killed in dog attack had several past contacts with social services

A Colorado City woman accused of felony criminal negligence and 54 counts of cruelty to animals after her mother was killed in a dog attack in February had been reported several times for allegedly abusing her mother and neglecting her animals, according to a Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit.

Jessica Hoff, 47, was arrested March 21 on suspicion of negligence causing the death of an at-risk adult and 54 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals after her mother, 76-year-old LaVonne Hoff, was killed by dogs in the Colorado City home in which she was living.

LaVonne Hoff, who had dementia, required 24-hour care and was allegedly left alone to care for 23 dogs in the house, according to the affidavit.

What deputies found at the scene

Sheriff’s deputies responding to the residence in the 4800 block of Jefferson Blvd. on Feb. 3 observed that the house was filthy and unsanitary with blood stains throughout the home, according to the affidavit.

Several dogs were allegedly found in cages too small for them, with the cages covered in apparent feces. Most of the animals appeared to lack access to food and water, and one dog was allegedly found to be so malnourished and emaciated that its ribs and hip bones could be seen through the skin.

Along with the body of LaVonne Hoff, a dead dog was recovered from inside the house that was later determined to have died from bite marks and other injuries sustained in attacks by other dogs, according to the affidavit.

LaVonne Hoff was covered in injuries consistent with dog attacks, and her cause of death was determined to be a severed femoral artery in the thigh, which led to death by blood loss.

A total of 47 dogs were taken from the property by PCSO deputies, including 23 from inside the house and 24 from a nearby shed.

A total of 14 dogs had to be euthanized: three were required to be euthanized for involvement in the attack on LaVonne Hoff, nine were euthanized for aggression, and one was euthanized for health reasons, according to the affidavit.

Victim had multiple past contacts with Adult Protective Services

LaVonne Hoff was contacted by Adult Protective Services several times before the incident in which she was killed, according to the affidavit. In some of those contacts, LaVonne claimed her daughter had punched and kicked her repeatedly. However, several of those claims were dismissed due to medical staff finding no physical evidence of abuse.

In August 2023, LaVonne Hoff reportedly went to a neighbor’s house and said her daughter had hit her on the head. While being checked at a hospital, staff observed healing bruises on her back and stomach, as well as an injury next to her eye.

Seven hematomas were found, mostly on the left side of LaVonne Hoff’s head, including a large one on the back of her head. A doctor observed that the injuries were consistent with being hit in the head, according to the affidavit.

LaVonne Hoff was removed from the home and placed in a memory care facility, but she was later returned to the home after the criminal charges against Jessica Hoff were dismissed. In a follow-up, LaVonne Hoff stated she felt safe at the home and wanted to be there, according to the affidavit.

In another case on Sept. 3, 2023, LaVonne Hoff allegedly reported to neighbors that her daughter had repeatedly punched her in the head and face also and strangled her. She exhibited multiple injuries, including an abrasion to her nose, bruising to the side of her face, and hematomas and contusions on her head. She told medical staff she didn’t feel safe living with Jessica Hoff.

Medical records indicated that in addition to suffering from dementia, LaVonne Hoff was a fall risk and was medically documented to have suffered dog bites on multiple occasions, according to the affidavit.

Animal law enforcement had contacted suspect several times

The affidavit stated Jessica Hoff also had several past contacts with animal law enforcement officers in Pueblo and Arapahoe counties for complaints ranging from violating zoning laws by owning too many animals and providing inadequate care to unlawfully breeding dogs without a license.

“Animal Law Enforcement and (Colorado’s Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act program) repeatedly told Jessica she was not allowed to be housing the amount of dogs she had because she could not properly care for them, nor did she have a license to do so,” a PCSO detective wrote in the affidavit.

“Besides the blood transferred throughout the house by the dogs, the residence was unlivable, smelled of urine and feces, and was overcrowded with dog crates and furniture.”

The PCSO also learned from animal law enforcement that another of Jessica Hoff’s dogs had previously been killed by other dogs at the residence, several of which were known to be aggressive, according to the affidavit.

The detective further stated that the dogs were being kept in filthy crates, most of which were damaged, bent, and too small to house the dogs that were in them.

“These crates could not only cause severe injuries to the dogs but also severe medical conditions as well. Upon my arrival, none of the animals had access to food and water,” the detective wrote.

Jessica Hoff is being held in the Pueblo County jail on a $50,000 cash, surety, or property bond.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

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