July 08, 2026
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Two Salem County Sheriff's Office K-9s were left in a hot car at the county courthouse for seven hours on May 29, leading to the deaths of both dogs, prosecutors said. Sergeant Cody L. Henderson, 41, now faces animal cruelty charges.
A sergeant with the Salem County Sheriff's Office in New Jersey who left two veteran K-9s locked in a hot car for seven hours in May is now facing criminal charges stemming from the dogs' deaths, authorities said.
Cody L. Henderson, 41, left a 4-year-old Belgian malinois named Rip and a 6-year-old English springer spaniel named Boomer unattended in a vehicle at the county courthouse in Salem City on May 29, prosecutors said. Henderson allegedly kept the dogs in the car from the time he arrived at work at 8:30 a.m. until about 3:30 a.m.
When Henderson found the dogs unresponsive in the car that afternoon, he drove them to an animal hospital in Delaware, police said. The two dogs had already died, and a necropsy determined hypothermia and heat stroke likely caused their deaths.
"The loss of these loyal partners has had a profound impact on our agency, our law enforcement community, and the citizens they faithfully served," Salem County Sheriff Chuck Miller said in a statement Wednesday. "We continue to honor the memory and service of Rip and Boomer and extend our thoughts to all those affected by this tragic loss."
Henderson served as the head of the K-9 unit. Investigators said Rip and Boomer were left in the police vehicle without any windows rolled down. The vehicle's windows are tinted, which would have made it difficult for people in the parking lot to notice there were dogs inside. Safety signs also warn people to keep a distance.
🚨 BREAKING: Salem County Sheriff's Sgt. Cody L. Henderson, supervisor of the K-9 Unit, has been charged in the deaths of K-9 Rip and K-9 Boomer. Prosecutors allege the dogs were left in a patrol vehicle for nearly 7 hours with the heat alarm system reportedly not activated.… pic.twitter.com/XCaT7a33hE
— Paul Mueller (@RealPaulMueller) July 8, 2026
Although the K-9 vehicle is equipped with a heat alarm system that's supposed to lower the windows when the temperature gets too hot for the animals, investigators determined the feature was not activated the day Rip and Boomer were left in the car, according to charging documents obtained by NJ.com.
Surveillance video from the courthouse showed Henderson never went to check on the dogs. Henderson also chose not to keep the K-9s in a kennel at the courthouse, prosecutors said.
NBC10 reported the high temperature in Salem County on May 29 was 81 degrees, and the temperature inside a parked car could have climbed above 100 degrees within an hour.
Henderson is charged with two third-degree counts of purposefully, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury to a living animal by failing to provide necessary care, resulting in death. He's also charged with additional counts of animal cruelty.
Henderson has been suspended by the sheriff's office with pay pending the outcome of the case.
"Rip and Boomer exemplified the highest standards of service, loyalty, and dedication," Miller said. "Their contributions to public safety and their commitment to duty will not be forgotten."
