Bucks County, Pennsylvania — A Bucks County judge has issued a bench warrant for a Springfield Township woman charged with felony animal cruelty after authorities say she violated the conditions of her pretrial release, raising serious concerns about her compliance with the court just weeks before her scheduled arraignment.
Heather M. Fitzgerald, 55, of Coopersburg, is facing multiple felony charges connected to the death of an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding named Brazilliant. The bench warrant was issued Tuesday following an alleged violation of the county’s pretrial release program, according to court records.
The charges against Fitzgerald stem from an April investigation launched after she contacted the Bucks County SPCA about an eye injury she had been attempting to treat on her own. When humane law enforcement officers arrived at her property, they found the horse in severely deteriorated condition — suffering from a badly damaged eye, a large growth near his mouth, significant weight loss and difficulty walking.
Veterinary specialists later confirmed the horse had been living with untreated cancer that had spread throughout multiple parts of his body. Euthanasia was ultimately deemed the most humane option.
Fitzgerald was initially arraigned on May 4 on $150,000 bail. Her bail conditions were modified on May 8, when she was released on a signed bond under the county’s pretrial release program. She is scheduled for formal arraignment on July 10 and a pretrial conference on August 19 before Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr.
This is not Fitzgerald’s first encounter with animal-related legal trouble. The Bucks County SPCA has confirmed that humane officers previously investigated reports of poor conditions involving animals at her property. In 2025, Springfield Township police also filed charges after one of her dogs, running loose, killed a neighbor’s cat. She had previously been convicted on misdemeanor charges related to confining dogs and was serving probation at the time.
With a bench warrant now active and her arraignment weeks away, authorities are working to locate Fitzgerald and return her before the court.
