Eight-year-old charged with animal cruelty

The Washington Times/UPI ^ | 7-8-03 | N/A

[JustPiper]

MIAMI, July 7 (UPI) -- An 8-year-old Miami-area boy faces felony charges after causing massive injuries to a 4-month-old kitten because, he told officials, he was bored.

The Miami Herald said the kitten suffered a fractured skull, fractured palate and head trauma when the unidentified boy swung it by its tail and slammed it to the ground near his Lauderdale Lakes home.

[HiTech RedNeck]

When I was 8, I could understand that a cat that suffered a fatal injury would not just resurrect. That "nine lives" was not literal.

The situation screams for more investigation than just busting the kid, however. I would look, for example, for DNA in places where it shouldn't be, if you catch my drift.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I think I do.

I do believe that this child's family history needs to be looked into, and it probably will be. I suspect he has been terribly abused, but that is just my suspicion, I have no way of knowing.

[HiTech RedNeck]

What may be most lamentable of all is this is one of the places where a "faith-based" solution may be absolutely crucial to the kid's getting a second chance in life, but if this kid gets entangled in the talons of the oh-so-separated-from-church State, it almost can't happen. The kitten, though brutally beaten, survived. It is to be prayed that the boy puts a saving faith in the Jesus to whom a very similar thing happened, 2000 years ago.

[metesky]

I grew up with a kid who was constantly torturing cats and kittens, setting them on fire, hanging them off telephone poles by a jack knife through the tail, blowing them up with cherry bombs, etc.

We smaller, younger kids were petrified of him.

He had a long and honorable career in the local fire department and is now retired.

My skin still crawls just thinking about him...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I agree with you. I believe psychiatry can work... but it doesn't fill the longing of the soul. Mental illness truly does exist, and it often isn't easy to overcome. But faith in God and the redemption of Jesus, can give this child the solace that his heart desperately needs.

I would suspect that one of the most difficult parts of his recovery will be willing to accept his actions, to take responsibility, and then to move FORWARD, in a new direction.

May God bless this child. He is certainly suffering, today. And, he needs God's guidance and protection.

[gortklattu]

He was bored?

No Game Boy, no books, no TV?

[Eaker]

He had a long and honorable career in the local fire department and is now retired.

Think he started any of the fires? That is sometimes the next step.

Eaker

[HiTech RedNeck]

In this case, maybe the dare devil part of him got to be put to some good. I hope he had to snatch 100 cats and dogs from the flames for every one he had killed or wounded.

[BCrago66]

In answer:

Sociopathy or psychopathy (same thing) is not a psychosis. A psychosis is a break from reality, for whch the sufferer has no responsibility, and can be treated with drugs. Sociopaths have a personality disorder causing them, amoung other things, to like hurting others. They are responsible for thier actions - and just like doing evil. There is no known cure.

The second point you make varies with state law; if I'm not mistaken, some states wipe out juvinile fenonies, some don't. But I think the matter is more complex than even that, and it depends upon the kind of felony were talking about, and other factors.

[HiTech RedNeck]

There is no known cure.

Not in a secular sense as an adult, but at this age who knows whether the kid falls into this category, or whether something preventative can still be done. It's remarkable how great a percentage of the heinous murderers we see on death row (and it takes a charge of something pretty heinous today to put someone there) emerged from households that fell well below the norm.

[auggy]

"Animal torture of one of the most predictive signs that what we have here is a little sociopath. Next it will be human beings that he is torturing."

I disagree. Just how many children have abused animal when they were young and how many went on to lead normal lives. Even though, most of the serial killers were involved with animal abuse, I would say the percentage is very low of the total number of young animal abusers.

I know of a person, that as a child he was paid a quarter for discarding kittens. He would place them in a burlap bag and pitch them in a river. He isn't a serial killer. He has led a normal life

He is a Demoncrat though.

[metesky]

Two of my uncles were Deputy Chiefs when the guy started and my cousin is Chief now.

To the best of my knowledge there was never any suspicion directed at the little monster.

[auggy]

I totally disagree with this boys action, but it is just a cat. C-A-T

Why can't we all just git along?

[HiTech RedNeck]

That page is so COOL.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Retired and a chief?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I agree. Cats are... well, they are cats. I love them, but they are cats.

[AppyPappy]

I wonder how many cats he could kill before we would do anything then?

[metesky]

One of us has garbled the code. Probably me.
:O(

Culprit is retired, was never a chief but was a fire marshall (investigated causes).

Things that make you go, Hmmmm...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I didn't say he shouldn't face trial, I didn't say he wasn't sick. My point is that cats aren't humans. Don't worry, it looks like the state will take care of him.