Homeless Woman In Deltona Arrested After Officials Find 4 Cats Dead In Her Car

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Deltona, FL - A homeless woman in Deltona is arrested for animal cruelty when four cats were found dead in her car after the woman allegedly failed to give them food or water. Volusia County Sheriff's Office says 56-year-old Priscilla Marcial appeared to be living out of her car. A witness reported a "foul smell" coming from Marcial's car, which was parked outside of Honest 1 Car Care at 3125 Howland Boulevard in Deltona, according to arrest reports. Yesterday afternoon, Deltona Animal Control reported finding the four dead cats in Marcial's car. Marcial had come into the business about a week ago asking for help with her car. The car shop gave her car battery a jump and then sent her on her way. Employees noticed her car in the parking lot again yesterday. The manager of a car wash next door reported seeing a dead cat in the back seat. The manager of the car wash said he was familiar with Marcial and that he saw several cats kept in crates in the car about four weeks ago and that the cats looked "considerably malnourished." He gave the cats water and claimed the cats "attacked the water like it had been days since they drank anything." When deputies responded yesterday, it appeared that Marcial had been living out of her car for a while. The car was completely filled with what appeared to be all of her personal belongings. Marcial originally told deputies that the cats in the crates were fine. When deputies told Marcial that her cats were dead, she claimed that "the car place killed them." Deltona Animal Control says the cats could have been dead for days, possibly weeks. Marcial was charged with four counts of felony animal cruelty and was held on a total of $10,000 bond. Marcial's mugshot courtesy Volusia County Jail.