Cats tortured and killed Jackson, MI (US) Date: Oct 1998 Disposition: Convicted Abuser/Suspect: Name Undisclosed

Case ID: 4254 Classification: Mutilation/Torture Animal: cow View more cases in MI (US) Login to Watch this Case

In Fall of 1998 three of Fidelia England's cats started to disappear one by one. When Fidelia England, 72, put the cats out on her Woodbridge Street porch they began to disappear one at a time.

One of her cats was found dead with its stomach cut open. A second cat was found clubbed to death. The third cat was thrown into a pen with two Rottweiler dogs. The cat didn't survive long in a pen with the Rottweilers.

The city police investigated the deaths of the cats. They concluded a 13-year old boy had thrown the cat into the pen with the Rottweilers, because of his age, his name was not released.

March 1999 in Jackson County Juvenile Court he was convicted of willful killing of animal. Sentencing will be Thursday, March 18.

The Assistant Prosecutor Susan Dehncke said she will recommend psychological counseling in a residential treatment program saying the boy might abuse again unless he receives intervention.

Adults would receive four years in prison for animal torture which is a felony, but a 13-year old boy would receive a juvenile sentence because of his age.

Dehncke said extreme cases of animal abuse are uncommon but reflect a trend in which the acts committed by juveniles against animals is becoming more violent.

She said, "We're seeing it more across the board. We're seeing more cutting and torture."

If parents find a child torturing an animal, they should consider whether it's an isolated incident or ongoing behavior and if the child could be the victim of abuse by a sibling or an adult.

References

Jackson MI Citizen-Patroit - Mar 16, 1999

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