Exclusive: Woman reunited with dog stolen 6 months ago in Newark

ByAnthony Johnson WABC logo

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Exclusive: Woman reunited with dog stolen 6 months ago in NJ

Aquarius Goodrich was reunited with her 4-year-old Yorkie, Nuca, who was stolen six months ago in Newark, New Jersey. Anthony Johnson has the exclusive interview.

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A heartbroken woman in Newark has finally been reunited with her dog, after it was stolen six months ago, even after the suspect was arrested back in July.

It's a mix of joy and sorrow. There is pain and anger.

"That man is an animal ... he's worse than a pig," Aquarius Goodrich said.

Nuca is a 4-year-old Yorkie whose life changed dramatically last June 15, when he was taken by a passing motorist who made friendly conversation with the Yorkie's owner.

The driver asked to hold the dog and drove away with the family pet.

"He didn't look like a thug or a criminal or a monster ... you see monster's look like people," Goodrich said.

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Since then, Goodrich has been fighting to get her dog back from the suspect identified by police as Kenol Monreau.

The fight went to court and the judge decided to turn Nuca back over to Goodrich.

The suspect claimed the dog was given to him, but an investigation proved that he had been taken without the owner's consent.

Goodrich said she was going to drop the charges, but once she had the opportunity to look at Luca and see his condition, she says she's now pursuing the kidnapping in court.

"My dog has been abused, so now I'm not dropping the charges," she said.

Before he was dognapped, Nuca was fond of playing with the family cat. He was a cute, cuddly Yorkie who was a gift to Goodrich from her daughter before heading to the Navy four years ago.

Nuca has lost a lot of hair and hasn't been bathed in a while.

"He's shedding, look he's filthy but I don't care, I can hold him because he's my dog, my baby I don't care how filthy he is, he's mine," Goodrich said.

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