Woman Convicted Of Throwing Chihuahua To Its Death From Parking Garage

In February, ABC News reported that San Francisco police apprehended a woman suspected of throwing a 4-year-old Chihuahua from the seventh floor of a parking garage. The woman has since been convicted based on video evidence from nearby surveillance cameras and footage from a dashboard camera, according to SFGate.

Initial reports from police state that 34-year-old Wakeen “Lala” Best was arrested after allegedly breaking into a white Mercedes and throwing Dunky, a black and tan Chihuahua, to its death. Police said the dog’s owner thought it had somehow gotten out of the vehicle and fell, but after noticing broken glass and blood in his car, he contacted the authorities.

Best is being convicted of felony animal abuse and auto burglary for the incident that took place on February 10. She also faces charges for other criminal acts, including vandalism, possession of drug paraphernalia, and carrying a dirk or dagger, according to jail records.

In the video footage played by the prosecutors in court, a dog can be heard barking nonstop while a car alarm is going off. A person’s voice was also heard saying, “Shut your a** up.”

A few seconds later, the dog’s barking stops and the voice can be heard saying, “You little b**ch.” After the commotion ended, someone with long dark hair was seen walking away from the car while carrying a bag.

In court, the testimony of a former security guard placed Best at the scene of the crime. The former employee claims she recognized Best’s voice as she had a number of previous encounters with the woman. She said Best has been known to wander the seventh floor and she would often have to ask her to leave.

“This defendant showed no remorse and is responsible for the death of a little, defenseless animal,” District Attorney George Gascón said. “This verdict is a small step toward bringing justice for Dunky. This verdict also sends a clear message that in San Francisco there are consequences for harming our beloved pets.”

According to court records, Best has a lengthy rap sheet of car break-ins in the area and was on probation for another auto burglary in the same garage. A judge had even previously issued a stay-away order from the area.

However, despite the evidence, Best’s lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Alexandra Pray, said that her client did not commit a crime. She claims it was someone else who broke into the car and killed Dunky.