Woman wanted in Bucks Co. animal cruelty, captured in Belize
Woman wanted in Bucks Co. animal cruelty case, captured in Belize, brought back to the United States
A woman who, police claim, fled to Belize last year and abandoned over 100 animals at a Bucks County farm, leaving them to starve and allowing several to die, has been returned to police custody in America after being arrested overseas.
On Monday, the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force announced that Abigail Tuttle O’Keeffe, 54, who operated Narrow Way Farm, located on Worthington Mill Road in Newtown, has been turned over to officials in Bucks County after being apprehended for possession of a firearm in Benque Viejo, Belize
According to police, O’Keeffe has been charged with more than 100 counts of animal cruelty after she, allegedly, abandoned over 100 animals at a farm she operated last year.
The charges came after the Bucks County SPCA, conducted an animal cruelty investigation at the farm after receiving complaints including photos and videos of sick animals and reports of animals dying.
In August of last year, the Bucks County SPCA said the farm owner, O’Keeffe, had left the country and never said when or if she planned to return.
Though, the agency’s law enforcement team was able, at that time, to contact her and she gave them permission to remove the animals.
Bucks County SPCA officials said investigators at the farm found animals living in filthy conditions, dead animals, and had heard reports from caretakers of young animals suddenly dying.
O’Keeffe was charged in January for her role in, what Bucks County SPCA officials have called the “largest case of farm animal cruelty in county history.”
On social media, the Bucks County SPCA said two pigs and two goats were still awaiting adoption from this case.
In April, police said, O’Keeffe was arrested for possession of a firearm in Benque Viejo, Belize.
The U.S. State Department notified the U.S. Marshals Service that O’Keeffe was in custody and, officials said, they worked on getting her returned to the United States.
After her weapon possession case overseas was settled on Sept. 18, 2025, officials said, O’Keeffe was turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service where she would be returned to Philadelphia.
“This was an exceptional case in terms of the number of animals, severity of their suffering, and the interagency cooperation required to bring Ms. O’Keeffe back to the United States to face charges and gain justice for the animals,” said Nikki Thompson, Chief Humane Society Police Officer at Bucks County SPCA, in a statement.
O’Keeffe is currently in police custody in Bucks County where she is awaiting a preliminary hearing.
O’Keeffe next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2025.
Information from this article was sourced form NBC10 Philadelphia
