A Texas dog groomer and a dog were found unresponsive inside her mobile grooming van on Wednesday, November 11.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after responding to a call near San Antonio around 5 p.m.
The owner of the dog — a 10-year-old Yorkshire Terrier named Oliver Oken — grew concerned after not hearing from the groomer for hours. They asked a neighbor for help, which is when they found the victims in the van.
First responders arrived to find 60-year-old Victoria Starr Richards unresponsive inside the vehicle. First responders attempted to resuscitate Starr Richards, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Their life was cut short that quick,” the neighbor, Cynthia Rivera, told News 4 San Antonio. “I did see when they brought the blanket out and took the dog to the lady and then gave her her pet, and I was just like, it’s so hard.”
No foul play was suspected, and the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the deaths an accident caused by carbon monoxide toxicity.
“Our family has lost a very special member, and there is an emptiness in our home that words cannot describe,” the pet owner shared in a statement.
She added of Starr Richards, “Her life mattered, and she deserved to go home that day just like everyone else.”
Texas Woman and Dog Found Dead Inside Mobile Grooming Van