Charges filed in abandonment of Rosita the guinea pig

A 17-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty in Lyon County District Court after guinea pigs were abandoned in a rural part of the county, authorities said.

One of the guinea pigs was found in a mailbox and taken to the Emporia Animal Shelter, where it has been named Rosita. The other two have not been found, according to a post on the Emporia Police Department Facebook page.

A second suspect, an 18-year-old woman, could also face charges in the incident, police said. The case has been referred to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office.

Rosita will be available to adopt after 21 days, Emporia police said, but the Friends of the Emporia Animal Shelter want to sponsor Rosita and take care of the guinea pig there at the shelter.

This story was originally published May 6, 2017 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Charges filed in abandonment of Rosita the guinea pig."