Woman preserving dog’s body in freezer wants maintenance worker held accountable

HALLLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Residents of the Holiday Park RV and Mobile Home Community in Hallandale Beach are upset and concerned over a serious safety issue.

Local 10 News was there and witnessed one of the park’s maintenance worker tucks running a stop sign and driving fast, ignoring speed bumps.

Resident Maricel Redondo is heartbroken after what happened to her dog Chiquita.

She said Chiquita ran out of her home to pee, and her neighbor across the street, Josue Caleb, said he saw what happened next.

Caleb said a community maintenance worker driving a company vehicle ran over the small dog on the street. He said he saw the driver stop, but seconds later, the driver hit the gas and kept going.

Now Redondo can only point to a freezer where she’s keeping the dog’s body.

Neighbors who were too afraid of retaliation to go on camera told Local 10 News this is just the latest in a series of speeding incidents in which animals have been killed, and there have even been some close calls with residents.

And they say some of the worst offenders are the company’s maintenance workers.

Caleb and others’ worst fear is for the children who live and play at the park.

When Local 10 News Christian De La Rosa took those concerns to management, a staff member did claim management is in the process of adding more speed bumps.

In the meantime, Redondo said she wants justice for the pet she says was like her daughter.

She’s trying to preserve Chiquita’s remains until the driver is held accountable.

She wants the driver removed from her community, and she wants him to pay for Chiquita’s cremation.

Redondo did file a police report with the Broward Sheriff’s Office. There has been no word on whether that driver will be fined or cited.


About the Author:

Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach.