Neighbors in Castle Rock’s Terrain neighborhood knew her well. A mother black bear, often spotted with her two cubs, had become such a familiar sight that residents gave her a name: Melanie. “We kind of started to think of her as our neighborhood bear,” Terrain resident Jeff Berta told CBS Colorado.

On July 9, Melanie was shot on unincorporated Douglas County land beside the neighborhood. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers had to put her down. Her two cubs were sedated and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center, where they now face life without their mother.

After a CPW investigation, prosecutors charged a 37-year-old Douglas County man with aggravated animal cruelty. Under Colorado law, that felony applies when someone tortures an animal, or mutilates or kills one without need. A conviction could mean anything from probation to as many as six years in prison. The accused has not been convicted, and his first court appearance is set for Oct. 23.

The case is now in the hands of District Attorney George Brauchler, whose office covers Douglas County as part of Colorado’s 23rd Judicial District. Residents deserve to see this charge handled with the seriousness Colorado law gives it: a thorough, fair process that follows the evidence all the way through.

The stakes reach beyond one bear. Drought this summer has driven hungry bears closer to homes, and CPW has euthanized a record number of them. Every illegal killing makes it harder for people and wildlife to share the land safely.

Sign the petition to urge District Attorney Brauchler to pursue this felony case fully and fairly, starting with the Oct. 23 hearing.