Grygla (trfnews.i234.me) — A Grygla woman faces an animal mistreatment charge after a dog allegedly died inside a parked vehicle.
Jaylene Renee Lian, 64, is charged with one misdemeanor count in Marshall County District Court.
The criminal complaint lists September 9, 2026, as the alleged offense date.
Investigators say the dog was left unattended inside a vehicle for several hours before being found dead.
Anonymous Report Leads to Investigation
According to court documents, Marshall County authorities received an anonymous report around 9:38 a.m. on September 9.
The caller reported hearing about a dog dying after being left inside a vehicle.
The information reportedly came from a conversation involving Josh Lian and a coworker at Machinewell in Grygla.
Investigators contacted Josh Lian to learn what happened.
He initially told authorities he placed the dog inside his mother’s vehicle because the animal sometimes acted aggressively toward visitors.
Josh said he returned home around 9 p.m. and discovered the dog dead inside the vehicle.
He reportedly said he had forgotten the dog was there and did not intend for it to die.
Woman Describes Dog Being Left in Vehicle
Later that afternoon, investigators visited Jaylene Renee Lian at her residence.
According to the complaint, Jaylene provided a different account of who placed the dog inside the vehicle.
She reportedly told investigators she placed the dog inside her vehicle around 4:30 p.m.
Jaylene said visitors were coming to her home, and the dog frightened them.
She allegedly forgot the animal remained inside the parked vehicle.
Jaylene said she remembered the dog only after Josh returned home around 9 p.m.
Based on her account, the dog had been inside the vehicle for approximately four and a half hours.
She told investigators Josh was not responsible for placing the dog inside the vehicle.
Investigators Examine Vehicle and Dog
Investigators examined the deceased dog and the vehicle involved in the reported incident.
The complaint identifies the vehicle as a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport.
The dog was reportedly found on the front passenger floorboard.
Jaylene described the animal as approximately five years old and said it had not been sick.
Investigators observed no obvious injuries on the dog’s body.
They also documented paw prints, smudges, and dog hair inside the vehicle.
Photographs were taken of the vehicle and deceased animal as part of the investigation.
The supplied complaint does not describe veterinary testing to establish the precise cause of death.
Animal Mistreatment Charge Filed
Prosecutors charged Jaylene under Minnesota Statute 343.21, subdivision 1.
The law prohibits animal neglect and several forms of animal cruelty.
The filed misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
The case is filed in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District under court file number 45-CR-26-301.
Readers can search for case information through Minnesota Court Records Online.
The allegations have not been proven in court. Jaylene Renee Lian is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
Copyright 2026 TRF News. All rights reserved.
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