Overview
- Prosecutors charged Sgt. Cody L. Henderson with multiple animal cruelty counts after investigators say he left K-9s Rip and Boomer unattended in a patrol SUV for about seven hours on May 29, when he remained inside the courthouse.
- Necropsies by the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory determined the dogs likely died of heat-related causes, with no other apparent cause identified.
- Charging documents and surveillance reviewed by investigators show the vehicle’s K-9 heat‑alarm device was not activated, the windows were closed, and the vehicle had a prior air‑conditioning flag in maintenance logs.
- Henderson was placed on administrative leave and the sheriff’s office referred the matter to prosecutors immediately, with both a criminal case and an internal departmental review now under way.
- The deaths have raised questions about K-9 safety measures such as heat alarms, use of available indoor kennels, and equipment checks, and could prompt changes to training, policy or vehicle protocols if investigators find systemic failures.