Case Details

Cat beaten with fireplace poker, thrown over fence
Hernando, FL (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Oct 7, 2000
County: Citrus
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» 12 year old Boy - Dismissed
» 11 year old Boy - Dismissed

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 1435
Classification: Beating, Throwing
Animal: cat
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Two boys ages 12 and 11 face charges in the torturing death of a neighbors cat.

The boys allegedly entered the unoccupied home through a pet door and lured the 5-year-old sweet natured cat known as Frisky into the house.

One of the boys allegedly held the cat down as he bludgeoned him with a fireplace poker in the neck, leg and eyes.  Then Frisky was fitted with a black rope and flung by his neck into the kitchen walls before allegedly being thrown out a window and over a fence outside.  Frisky, who was owned by Barbara Barger, died.

The 12-year-old boy was arrested after deputies heard that another boy had bragged about the attack on a school bus.

Earlier that day the 12-year-old had knocked on Barger's door on North Julia, after hearing that she was looking for Frisky.  The cat had been missing since October 3rd.  The boy offered to jump fences to find the cat and said he would bring it back even if he found it dead.  When Barger heard about how Frisky died and by who, she stated "I'm so sorry to even know how he died, It wouldn't hurt so much if I didn't know another human being could do that to an animal".

He said it twice, which Barger said she found odd.  Still, she gave him a can of cat treats and told him to shake it if he saw Frisky.  The cat would come right away.  She called the boy a sweetheart and thanked him for his help.

Deputies initially responded to a report of a burglary to an unoccupied home at North Julia Way and East Van Ness Rd.  The owner of the home had found the back door unlocked and saw blood in the kitchen and several holes poked in the walls.  While they were there the 12 year old showed up, on the pretense of looking for a black cat.

Deputies asked the boy whether he knew anything about the cat or the burglary. According to the arrest report, the boy stated the 11-year-old had lured the cat into the vacant home.  He had only kicked the cat lightly, then hit it with a rod from a fireplace brush.  The boys mother stated that the other boy threatened her son to get him to participate in beating the cat.  "He had the poker she said, "He was afraid if he could do it to the cat, he could do it to him".  The family owns 5 cats and the 12-year-old takes good care of them.

The mother of the 11-year-old has refused to let deputies talk to him outside her presence.  The 12-year-old is charged with burglary, cruelty to animals and criminal mischief.  He was released to the custody of his parent.  The 11-year-old faces similar charges.

Frisky's body was turned over to Barger's son, who dug a 4 foot deep hole in the back yard and buried the cat there.

Case Updates

Both boys plead no contest to charges of animal cruelty and burglary.

Circuit Judge Patricia Thomas withheld adjudication in the case, meaning the boys were neither found guilty, nor innocent, though the charges could resurface if they get into more trouble. The judge accepted the plea on the condition that both boys undergo psychiatric evaluation and follow any counseling or treatment that is recommended.
Update posted on May 26, 2003 - 5:17PM 

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References

The St. Petersburg Times
- Oct 14, 2000
- Oct 15, 2000

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