WP Woman Charged With Cruelty to Animals & More

Responding to a report of dogs killing a neighbor’s chickens due to the dogs having been neglected and not being fed, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office Detective Rice went to a house on Beck Graves Road off Highway 60 on July 20 to investigate. She discovered an abandoned residence and three malnourished dogs. Detective Rice and two responding patrol deputies found feces throughout the house and no water or food present for the animals.
Christina M. Rester (38), the owner of the property was located at her mother's residence, escorted back to the abandoned residence, and advised that she would be arrested and issued a summons for cruelty to animals, Rester became belligerent, shouting profanity to the officers and refusing to sign the summons.

As one of the deputies attempted to place handcuffs on Rester, she began to resist, pulled away, burned one of the deputies on the arm with her cigarette, and smashed the lit cigarette on the other deputy’s uniform shirt. Once handcuffed and placed in the rear seat of the patrol car, Rester continued to resist and verbally threatened the officers. Directing her attention to Detective Rice, Rester cursed her and stated that she would be fired.
Rester was booked on three counts of cruelty to animals, three counts of public intimidation, resisting an officer with force or violence, battery on an officer with injury and an outstanding warrant. She remains in jail with her bond set at $10,000. The neglected dogs were properly cared for.
Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal laughed when he heard of the threat to take the detective’s job. “I assure Ms. Rester of two things. First, Detective Rice’s job is secure and certainly doesn’t depend on Christina Rester. Next, Ms. Rester’s choice to neglect the animals and to resist our officers who were doing their job, has earned her a well-deserved stay in jail. I appreciate the fine work of Detective Rice and patrol deputies Easterling and Dominguez.”