A Hialeah woman is facing three felony animal cruelty charges after surveillance footage at a local apartment complex allegedly showed her repeatedly striking a dog and handling the animal roughly, according to police.
Miriam Yilian De La Rosa, 42, was taken into custody after investigators reviewed security footage from the Metro Parc apartments on East 26th Street. The footage reportedly showed several separate encounters involving the same dog.
De La Rosa appeared in Miami-Dade County court Friday. A judge found probable cause in the case and set an alternate bond of $7,500. She was also ordered to stay away from the animal while the case moves forward.
Police Say Surveillance Video Captured Multiple Incidents
The investigation began after an apartment building employee reviewed surveillance footage and alerted police.
According to investigators, one of the incidents occurred after a dog slipped out of its collar outside the building. Police said De La Rosa chased the animal, caught it and was seen holding it by its legs, at one point suspending it upside down.
Additional surveillance footage allegedly showed De La Rosa striking the dog several times while inside the building. Investigators said another incident occurred in an elevator after the dog relieved itself, with the woman allegedly hitting the animal repeatedly and holding it by one of its legs.
Police identified De La Rosa after reviewing the footage and investigating the incidents. She has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty with intent to injure.
De La Rosa told investigators that she had been fostering the dog for about two months. She also said she had taken the dog in after learning that it had previously been abused. Authorities have not publicly confirmed which foster program, if any, the dog was associated with.
Three Dogs Taken Into Animal Services’ Care
Miami-Dade Animal Services took custody of all three dogs that were with De La Rosa. Officials said the animals were being kept safe and would undergo medical evaluation.
The case has also drawn reactions from residents at the apartment complex. Neighbors who learned about the surveillance footage said they were disturbed by the allegations, with some describing their own pets as members of their families.
The investigation remains focused on the incidents captured on surveillance video and the evidence collected by police.
What Florida Law Says About Aggravated Animal Cruelty
Under Florida law, intentionally causing an animal’s cruel death or repeatedly inflicting unnecessary pain or suffering can constitute aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony. The offense can carry a fine of up to $10,000.
Florida also enacted new animal-welfare provisions that took effect October 1, 2026. Among other changes, the law created additional offenses involving animal cruelty committed in the presence of a minor and established requirements concerning information about certain animal-cruelty convictions.
Those newer provisions are separate from the allegations in De La Rosa’s case, which center on the surveillance footage and the three felony cruelty charges filed against her.
The charges are allegations, and the case will proceed through the court system. A criminal charge is not a finding of guilt.
Hialeah police said the department remains committed to investigating animal-cruelty complaints and pursuing charges when evidence supports them.
