The owner of a Lowell Township barn where 13 therapy horses died in a suspicious fire has obtained a personal protection order against a man who lives in the area, saying she fears for her safety and the well-being of her remaining animals.
Kathryn A. Welton was granted the PPO by a Kent County judge, which prohibits the man from setting foot on Welton’s property on Timpson Avenue SE or making any sort of contact. The order extends through October.
“His actions are escalating and I feel that an attack on me or animals is imminent,’’ she wrote in the PPO petition, which was signed April 13 and delivered to the Kent County Sheriff’s Department last week.
Kent County investigators say the April 8 fire at The Barn for Equine Learning is suspicious. A person of interest has been interviewed, deputies say, but no one has been charged.
In summer 2015, the individual named in the PPO “brought a dead owl to my house,’’ Welton wrote. “I began to feel uncomfortable.’’
Welton says the man in June, 2016 “admitted to cutting our pasture fences and being in the barn at night after a horse was found tied to her stall wall with objects in her stall, with no water and boot skid marks on the outside wall."
“A question of bestiality was discussed,’’ the PPO states. “The horse’s eye was injured.’’
Welton and her husband met with the individual in July, 2016. “It was stated he is not to be on the property,’’ according to court documents.
“Over the next few months, trail cameras were taken from the property, water buckets were flipped over and a horse was let out,’’ according to the personal protection order. “I feel that we are being observed.’’
The man showed up at Welton’s home the night of Feb. 7 “claiming he was lost and wanting permission to be on the property,’’ she wrote. “On Feb. 15, a volunteer called to inform me that the front doors of the barn were chained shut.
“On April 8th, the barn burned down, killing 13 of my horses and bunny (sic). The doors were chained shut from the inside and fencing was cut in eight places.’’
She wrote that she believes the man’s actions “have escalated and left me feeling unsafe and deep concern for my safety, family’s safety and our animals.''
“He has posted pictures on Facebook before the fire of a brunette girl surrounded by fire - one picture with caption ‘what doesn’t kill the girl makes her stronger,’’’ Welton wrote. “I feel so unsafe on the property where I live. We have had to install cameras to protect my house, my mother’s house and the two remaining horses.’’
Another resident on Timpson Avenue SE last August obtained a PPO against the same individual. In that order, the woman claimed he broke into her home and stole a .22 caliber gun and ammunition. “It is believed he has been in my home on numerous occasions,’’ the woman wrote.
Fire crews were called to Welton’s barn, 3203 Timpson Avenue north of 36th Street SE, about 2 a.m. All but two of her horses died in the fire.
Officials with the Kent County Sheriff's Department and Michigan State Police were called to assist in the investigation after it was learned that the barn door was chained shut and sections of fencing had been cut.
Welton launched her non-profit The Barn for Equine Learning “to connect people and horses to bring about positive change,’’ according to its website.
Dozens of people gathered at the Lowell area barn on April 15 for a memorial service to pay tribute to the 13 horses that died. A GoFundMe account has raised $35,590 of its $50,000 goal.
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