A Minnesota man is facing animal cruelty charges connected to the deaths of two foals and two older horses.

Blue Earth County, Minnesota, District Court records indicate that in March, deputies from the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Department responded to a call complaining of neglected animals on the Good Thunder, Minnesota, property owned by Russell Dean Peters. Upon investigation, authorities discovered two 9-month-old foals and two horses dead on the property, court documents said. All the animals appeared emaciated, and none of the animals had access to adequate food or water, the records say.

The court records say Peters told the deputies that the horses had been dewormed by a veterinarian and that the foals had subsequently stopped eating. Court documents indicate Peters said all of the animals died of natural causes.

Peters was unavailable for further comment