Three dogs and a cat were found starved to death inside an Anoka County home that had "garbage everywhere" and a "strong odor of a rotting carcass," according to charges against the woman who lives there.

Kuarin M. Lind, 33, of Ramsey, was charged this week in Anoka County District Court with felony cruelty to animals and a related misdemeanor count. Lind was jailed for three days and released. She did not respond to a message seeking a response to the allegations.

Lind's 3,000-square-foot house in the 16000 block of Andrie Street NW. is in a development of "higher-end homes," said Ramsey Police Capt. Tim Frankfurth. It backs up to a golf course and has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and an in-ground pool.

Lind bought the home last June.

According to the charges, a call to police sent officers to the home, where they found several food delivery boxes on the front step containing spoiled food. There was no response to the doorbell or knocks on the door.

"Officers could see through the window that the house was a mess with garbage everywhere," the criminal complaint read.

The officers opened an unlocked patio door, and "a strong odor of a rotting carcass emitted" that led them to suspect a person was dead inside, the document continued.

Officers located a dog still alive in a bedroom and called the phone number on its collar. Lind answered and acknowledged being "a hoarder."

She said she lost her garbage and gas services because she couldn't afford the bills. She also said she's been without heat and running water since winter.

Lind said she knew about two dogs and a cat dying in the home, as well as a puppy she bought in October that she kept in a locked room. She said the puppy died three weeks later.

"She admitted that she did not let it out because she did not have a [fenced] yard and did not want it to roam," the charges read. "At some point, she no longer wanted to enter the room because of the smell."

She admitted that she kept the other dead animals in locked rooms as well. Officers located all four.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482