Posted on 06/12/2011 1:33:02 AM PDT by LibWhacker
A HILTON woman, whose three-year-old son was found dead inside a washing machine with a cat in September last year, has been fined $3000 for mistreating a cat.
Kerry Louise Murphy, 24, pleaded guilty in the Fremantle Magistrates Court to ill treating a cat after she placed the distressed feline in front of a dog and filmed the incident on a mobile telephone in June last year.
Today, the court heard that Murphy was at home on June 21, 2010 when the cat, known as Gemma, was brought into the house by children she had been babysitting.
Her toddler son, Sean, who is now deceased, was also at the house at the time.
The court heard that Murphy put a towel over the cat and dropped the animal on the floor in front of the dog, which she also owned.
The distressed cat then attempted to escape the dog, which chased it around the room as she recorded the incident on a mobile phone.
In sentencing, Magistrate Leighton Jones described the footage as "distressing''.
He said "it was of very grave concern ... that the people involved in this incident, and those filming it, seemed to be enjoying the distress experienced by the cat''.
"I want to send a message to the community that this kind of behaviour is highly inappropriate''.
Magistrate Jones granted Murphy a spent conviction.
In September last year, Murphy's son, Sean, was found dead in a front-loading washing machine at his Harwood St home in Hilton.
Murphy removed Sean from the machine and tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at Fremantle Hospital.
A cat was also found in the washing machine with him.
At the time of the death, lawyer Terry Dobson said police had told Murphy and her partner Craig Sheppard they were suspects in the case.
But last month, police said there was no evidence to establish a criminal offence had been committed in relation to Sean's death.
The police investigation into the toddler’s death involved an autopsy, extensive forensic examinations and consultation with a variety of experts including the manufacturer of the washing machine.
Police said the circumstances surrounding Sean’s death remained undetermined and a report would be prepared for the State Coroner.
The animal cruelty matter was initially investigated by police after they discovered the footage during the investigation into the Sean Murphy's death. The matter was handed to the RSPCA on December 8, 2010.
* See the disturbing footage in our iPad video section and on perthnow.com.au *
you think the dog and veteran were wacked out, look at this.
Why is she still sucking oxygen?
Shouldn’t *another* “death by Whirlpool” automatically reopen a case for the death of her ~son~?
I sure hope Jesus comes back soon.
I can’t stomach much more of this world.
[sad fact: more children are killed by their own parents (usually their “mothers”) than any other cause, each year]
dead cats tell no tales
Well, normally, no but this one is screaming “Murderer!” to me.
That’s what my Jimmy does when I give him a shampoo. “Bloody Cat Murder!”
It’s breathtaking that all the fuss seems to be about the cat, not the kid.
Hopefully the morons will connect the dots between the two, soon.
I mean, good grief!!
They can’t pin the dead cat or kid on her, but they’ve got “evidence” on the offense of cruelty with her cell phone vid.
For all their money, that is one messed up family!
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