Boardman veterinarian found dead at home

Boardman veterinarian
found dead at home

BOARD-MAN — A veterinarian who had been accused of placing his 4-year-old son in a dog crate was found dead. A coroner’s ruling in the apparent suicide is pending.

A co-worker from Animal Charity went to Joseph Mullarkey Jr.’s Sylvia Lane house Monday morning to check on him when Mullarkey didn’t show up to work.

The co-worker called police when he couldn’t contact Mullarkey. Police saw Mullarkey sitting on a couch inside the home, not moving. Firefighters forced entry into the home, finding Mullarkey deceased with a vial of a muscle relaxant drug and a hypodermic needle nearby.

Mullarkey, 39, was sentenced last month to a year’s probation after pleading guilty to attempted child endangering, a misdemeanor.

At the time of his sentencing, Mullarkey’s attorney had said that in November the veterinarian placed his son into the plastic dog crate as a punishment. He had intended it to be for only a few minutes, the attorney said, but fell asleep and was awakened by his wife a couple of hours later. The boy wasn’t injured.

Support for schools

YOUNGSTOWN — City, Youngstown State University and city school board representatives will sign a “Contract With the Community” at 6 p.m. today at West Elementary, 310 S. Schenley Ave. Mayor Jay Williams, city council members and YSU President Dr. David C. Sweet will join with school officials to demonstrate solidarity for Youngstown city schools. The Community Contract is a pledge of unification and support for all Youngstown schools as the city school district outlines its vision to accomplish a broad range of goals, including a continuous improvement plan and accountability to the community.

Child-endangering plea

YOUNGSTOWN — Angela M. Spinelli, 20, of Carroll Street pleaded no contest to one count of child endangering Monday in municipal court and was found guilty. A second child-endangering count was dismissed. A background check will be done before her sentencing April 8. She faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Spinelli was arrested in December after her two toddlers were found outside playing with a dead cat, police said. She told officers who responded to a neighbor’s complaint that she thought her two boys, ages 3 and 2, were inside sleeping. The neighbor told police that when she found the boys at 11:50 a.m. Dec. 22, the older one was not wearing a coat and was in wet pajama pants. The younger boy had no shoes on and his diaper was full of urine and feces. The neighbor took the boys to her home and washed their faces and hands and fed them, police said.