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Nash County woman accused of starving her daughter and nearly three dozen pets

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published November 21, 2025 at 9:13 AM EST
Nash County Sheriff's Office

An eastern North Carolina woman has been accused of starving her child and nearly three-dozen pets.

Deputies from the Nash County Sheriff’s Office said Nancy Gupton’s nine-year-old daughter was found malnourished and living in filth; investigators also seized 35 animals from her Nashville home on November 10, and said many were in poor health.

She was arrested and charged with felony child abuse and cruelty to animals.

After a review by the Nash County District Attorney’s Office, Gupton has now been charged with an additional 35 counts of animal cruelty by starvation.

She’s accused of starving a dog, two cats, a rabbit, a ferret, two chinchillas, 18 parakeets, three cockatiels, six chickens, and a goose.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston