Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Chili, NY: Witnesses: Kitten Kicked, Killed

Chili, N.Y. - Investigators and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office are investigating an apparent domestic violence incident that may result in animal cruelty charges against Luis Gonzalez, 24, of Rochester.

Gonzalez is already facing charges for burglary, criminal contempt, criminal mischief, and aggravated harassment for the events of June 14.

This all happened at the Chili apartment home of Gonzalez’s ex-girlfriend. When Gonzalez approached the home a friend of his ex-girlfriend’s was reportedly inside and witnessed the kitten’s death.

She told police she saw Gonzalez kick the eight week-old kitten with his shoes on and then watched the kitten strike the wall nearly as high as the ceiling before it fell to the ground motionless.

"When I found out that cat died I cried, I literally cried," Kayla, another friend of Gonzalez’s ex-girlfriend said. 13WHAM News is not identifying the girlfriend for her own safety. "It's terrible it's so sad. Animal cruelty--you just want to cry."

Gonzalez reportedly broke down the front and back door to an apartment home, trying to make contact with his ex at the time. Court documents state that the friend inside the apartment was on the phone with 911 at the time.

Gonzalez is accused of taking the phone from her and breaking it. At one point he turned his attention to the kitten that his ex-girlfriend had recently acquired.

"He comes in, he grabs the kitten, he kicks the kitten up into the ceiling and then the kitten falls on the ground," Kayla said of the events that night.

Court documents state that the friend inside who witnessed this told police that Gonzalez then said, “I told (her) that I was going to (expletive) kill that cat."

Additional court paperwork suggests that Gonzalez left voicemails on his ex-girlfriend’s home and in one he said, "The kitten is dead, I threw it in the pond."

Monroe County Assistant District Attorney Laura Vanderbrook is handling this case and said an investigation into animal cruelty continues. Vanderbrook said it is not uncommon for investigators to find animal cruelty closely tied to abusive relationships; statistics indicate that nearly 70% of battered women report that some level of abuse was also directed at house pets.

"Shockingly, it is something that happens an awful lot,” Vanderbrook said. “We have found that when animals are being abused, it's a people problem; and people are at risk when animals are being abused.

"It's done somewhat as a means to coerce and/or control the victims by the abuser.”

Gonzalez is currently in Monroe County’s Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail and $10,000 bond.

He is due back in Chili Town Court on Tuesday to answer to the charges he faces.
Authorities said that the kitten’s body was recovered and the animal cruelty investigation continues.

No comments: