A woman from Southern California has been accused of intentionally running over a puppy after she was recorded luring the small dog into the path of her van before pulling forward and crushing the animal. Santa Ana police shared the disturbing footage and appealed to the public for help finding those responsible.
The horrific case of animal cruelty occurred on September 8, around 9 a.m., and the pit bull mix was later found dead in the street, according to The New York Post. A resident in the area initially told police what had happened, telling the officers about the minivan and expressing her belief that the driver had run over the puppy on purpose.
Following the resident’s report, police began searching for video proof to establish exactly what had happened to the animal. Police and animal-service officials spent weeks looking before eventually finding footage from the resident across the street. The video showed the disturbing incident as well as other details about the suspect and her vehicle.
Police appeal for the public’s help
Authorities released the graphic surveillance footage on Wednesday along with a public appeal for anyone to come forward with any useful information regarding the identity of the woman or the vehicle seen in the video. The minivan has been described as an older-model Honda Odyssey.
The footage showed a woman arriving in the vehicle, opening the door and removing the dog, leaving it on the road outside. She then places food on the ground on the driver’s side. The driver then waits until the dog is distracted by the food and positioned within the path of the back wheel of the truck to begin rolling the van forward.
Within seconds, the rear tire on the driver’s side rolls over the puppy, crushing it. The woman then stops the vehicle on the animal for roughly 15 seconds before driving away.
The response from the community and people online has been outrage and disgust, with most branding the unknown woman as evil. “This might be the most evil thing you’ll see on camera this week,” wrote one X user. “This makes my blood absolutely boil. I am sick to my stomach and furious,” wrote a second. Meanwhile, another individual called the suspect a “demonic woman.”
The footage shows the woman’s face as well as her license plate; however, so far there have reportedly been no arrests made, and the woman has not been publicly identified. Santa Ana police continue to investigate the matter, and anyone with information regarding the suspect has been encouraged to come forward.
Published: Oct 1, 2026 08:52 am