Indiana sheriff's deputy suspended over police dog's death

AUBURN, Ind. (AP) - A northeastern Indiana sheriff's deputy has been suspended over the death of a police dog after it was left inside his hot patrol car.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Department says Deputy Courtney Fuller will be suspended without pay for 30 days. The department says an investigation determined Fuller didn't commit any criminal acts but violated employee standards of conduct.

Sheriff Don Lauer says Fuller left the dog named Mojo inside his patrol car after his shift ended about 3 p.m. July 6 and was distracted by a situation with his newborn child. The deputy found Mojo dead about four hours later.

Officials say a necropsy at Purdue University found the dog's death was consistent with heat stroke.

The department says Fuller will no longer be a canine handler.