Two Oregon women are facing animal neglect charges connected to the drowning death of one horse and the alleged neglect of four others residing on their Lincoln County property.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Dave Carey said law enforcement authorities discovered the animals last week while responding to a call about a horse is distress. The responding deputy found one horse stuck in the mud completely submerged in water in the rain-flooded pasture. The animal later died. The deputy later discovered four other horses apparently in poor condition residing on the property.

The surviving horses were allegedly malnourished, Carey said.

"We suspect that the horse that died was also malnourished," he said