The Brief
A Fort Myers man was arrested after someone reported he tried to drown a two-month-old kitten.
The man is reported to have told investigators that he would harm the kittens in front of his daughter.
He was booked into the Lee County, Florida, jail on a count of felony animal cruelty.
An alleged kitten-killing father in Florida would abuse the family’s cats as a form of punishment for his teenage daughter when she “acted up,” a local sheriff’s office stated.
Warning: This story contains descriptions of how the man allegedly abused the animals.
Big picture view
The Fort Myers man was taken into custody after Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies were alerted about someone trying to drown and strike a two-month-old kitten named Luna. When deputies questioned the man, he is reported to have admitted to abusing or killing the kittens as a way to punish his daughter.
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Dig deeper
As the investigation continued, detectives discovered that the suspect had already killed two kittens in the past year, according to the sheriff’s office. He allegedly smothered one kitten that was only weeks old with a rag soaked in bleach, while another is said to have died after he burned the kitten with a blow-dryer.
What’s next
The suspect was booked on a single count of felony animal cruelty.
Deputies rescued Luna and took her to a veterinary hospital where she was treated and is now recovering. Investigators located the body of one of the kittens buried in the backyard.
The Source
Information for this article was taken from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County Clerk of Court. This story was reported from Orlando.