Authorities reportedly warned the woman about keeping dogs inside her storage unit months ago

Police in Florida made a gruesome discovery Sunday morning when they found two Labrador Retrievers dead in a storage unit, where the dogs had allegedly been abandoned in the heat without food and water.

The Bunnell Police Department released graphic details surrounding the case Monday, while announcing the arrest of a 21-year-old woman who has since been charged in connection with the dogs’ deaths.

According to a news release, officers responded to a call from a concerned renter at the storage facility who told officers they could “normally” hear dog noises coming from a neighboring unit rented by the suspect, Alexia Veronica Barquet. However, the tenant told police, no noises could be heard that morning and there was also a foul stench coming from her unit.

Officers allegedly noticed ants crawling under the unit door where the smell was suspected to be coming from, leading them to contact Barquet to have her come open the unit.

“Barquet came to the facility and unlocked the unit,” the release states, adding that “she told officers she kept two dogs inside and consented to officers entering the unit.”

Once inside, “officers found two deceased female black Labrador Retrievers: Ava, 5, and Karma, 2,” per the release.

“Karma was found on the floor near a door, while Ava’s remains had been placed inside a black plastic bag … Barquet told officers she discovered Ava deceased earlier in the week, placed her into a plastic bag, and left her remains inside the unit. She said she last checked Karma on Friday, July 17, and provided food and water at that time.”

Police also “found a floor covered with dog feces, trash, and debris,” as well as “a portable cooling unit appeared to be running but produced no cool air,” the release alleges.

According to the police department, the responding officers estimated that “the unit’s interior felt no cooler than the outside temperature.” The heat index was approximately 96 degrees at the time, police said, adding that “officers also found no water in the dogs’ dishes” when they discovered the deceased dogs.

Barquet was previously warned by local animal services in mid-March not to keep the dogs in the storage unit, according to local News 6 and Flagler Live.

She was arrested at the scene Sunday and charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty involving excessive pain or death, as well as two counts involving confinement or abandonment of animals without adequate food, water, exercise, or air.

“This is a disgusting case of animal cruelty, and these dogs died in a condition no animal should ever face,” Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon said in a statement.  “Animals depend entirely upon their owners for food, clean water, safe shelter, exercise, medical attention, and protection from dangerous conditions. Owning an animal carries a serious responsibility — one no person can ignore or set aside when providing care becomes difficult.”

Barquet’s bond was set at $6,000, according to Flager County Sheriff Inmate records reviewed by PEOPLE. She posted bond and was released less than three hours after she was taken into custody.

Source: https://people.com/fla-woman-accused-of-leaving-2-labradors-to-die-in-sweltering-storage-unit-12023848