Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Puppy set on fire, killed

Puppy set on fire, killed
Macon, GA (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2007
County: Bibb
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Charges: Felony CTA

Abusers/Suspects:
» 13 year old male
» 14 year old male
» 14 year old male

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 11497

Classification: Burning - Fire or Fireworks

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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Three boys charged with burning a dog to death have also been charged for a prior incident in which a puppy was set ablaze, a prosecutor said Thursday.

The boys, two 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old, are charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and are expected to enter pleas in the case next week.

Gerald Henderson, an assistant Bibb County district attorney, said if the boys admit to the charges in court or are convicted, he will request a psychological evaluation for them. His recommended sentence would depend on the result of that evaluation, he said.

Porsha Drewery, of Rutherford Avenue, told police after the May 15 incident that she believed the boys burned and killed her 14-year-old daughter's chow puppy on May 9. Drewery said the boys admitted to her that they burned 2-month-old Camile after she found the injured dog charred on her back porch.

The dog was suffering and Drewery said her neighbor shot Camile, putting the chow out of its misery. Henderson said community members have contacted him expressing both anger and sympathy - sympathy for the boys' mental state and anger at the nature of the crime.

Case Updates

A Bibb County prosecutor Thursday described the actions of two boys as "evil" for what they did May 9 and 15.

The teens, ages 13 and 14, appeared in Bibb County Juvenile Court and admitted to burning two dogs with lighter fluid in a case that has sparked much protest from animal lovers and animal rights groups.

The two were sentenced to 60 days of detention, two years of probation, and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation. Another 14-year-old boy received the same sentence at a previous hearing for his part in the burnings.

"I'm pleased and I hope they get rehabilitated or at least they understand that it was wrong to do this," Bibb County assistant district attorney Gerald Henderson said after the hearing.

About 15 people marched in the sweltering heat outside of the courthouse carrying signs decrying animal abuse. The protesters also delivered a petition to the court demanding the boys be prosecuted. The group carried signs depicting animals abused in Middle Georgia and displaying slogans such as "Children aren't born evil, parents teach compassion," "Stop the cycle" and "Abuse hurts."

"These were ... acts of torture, acts of violence against innocent, harmless, defenseless companion animals for pleasure ... or fun," said Chamblee Abernethy of Athens, who helped organize the protest. "These kids are monsters and they weren't born that way. They're products of their environment, they're products of our society, they're products of poor parenting or lack of parenting."

Henderson said the judge asked the boys if they understood why protesters and others were so upset about what they did. The boys responded "no," Henderson said.

"It was a horrible thing to happen, a horrible way for any animal to die or anything to die - to be set on fire and burned to death alive is a horrible thing," said Donna Conaway of the Heart of Georgia Humane Society. She said she found this case particularly disturbing.

In 10 years as a prosecutor, Henderson said he has never had a case that garnered this much outrage and response from the community.

The two cases came to light May 15 after a woman in south Macon discovered what turned out to be a mixed-breed dog burning in the corner of her yard on Cliffview Drive.

After that case another woman came forward and said the boys burned her daughter's 2-month-old chow puppy May 9. To end the dog's suffering a neighbor shot and killed the chow.

After the dog burnings, the boys went on to commit several other crimes, they admitted Thursday.

The 14-year-old admitted to two felony counts of entering an auto, one which happened May 22 and another that happened July 22, as well as one count of shoplifting.

The 13-year-old also admitted to the July 22 entering an auto charge, a shoplifting charge and a 2006 burglary incident.

Henderson said the case was easy to prosecute because of the thorough investigation by Macon police.

Source: Macon.com - Aug 10, 2007
Update posted on Aug 17, 2007 - 1:21AM

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Puppy set on fire, killedMacon, GA (US)

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Puppy set on fire, killed
Macon, GA (US)