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Girls plead guilty to setting kitten on fire

post #1 of 23
10/26/07 at 4:51pm
Thread Starter 

Just read the latest update on Adam the kitten who was lit on fire by 2 15yo girls:
http://www.forgottenfelines.com/v4/adam1022-1737.shtml
After hearing the list of witnesses, the girls went ahead and pled guilty
Forgotten Felines has a nice "Adam's Corner" on it's website with the darlingest pics of Adam - what a sweetie
Now, the big question - WHAT IS THE BEST SENTENCE FOR THESE GIRLS?? (I wanna vote for spaying before they have a chance to become mommies, but that isn't very nice, is it )
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post #2 of 23
10/26/07 at 5:38pm
Maybe they should be made do community service in the BURNS WARD of their local children's hospital and maybe they will see the pain and agony that they put the kitten through. (probably this would be classed as a cruel and unnatural punishment - but I think it fits the crime.)

I doubt it would be done though. These days the laws seem to favour the criminals and not the victims.

(I do agree with you though, catsknowme)
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post #3 of 23
10/26/07 at 5:53pm
I'd advocate tit for tat, myself.
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post #4 of 23
10/26/07 at 6:10pm
Poor kitty! I do wish punishment crimes were harsher.....
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post #5 of 23
10/26/07 at 6:25pm
set them of fire. works for me.
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post #6 of 23
10/26/07 at 7:40pm
WHAT IS THE BEST SENTENCE FOR THESE GIRLS??

A few minutes with the business end of a baseball bat.
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post #7 of 23
10/27/07 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by felineorc View Post
Maybe they should be made do community service in the BURNS WARD of their local children's hospital and maybe they will see the pain and agony that they put the kitten through. (probably this would be classed as a cruel and unnatural punishment - but I think it fits the crime.)
I think this would actually be a great idea. If the girls can actually show some empathy maybe there's some chance of them learning what they did was wrong and growing up into decent people.
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post #8 of 23
10/27/07 at 8:56am
Punishment in these kinds of cases should always be geared around the perpertrators really learning to understand in a real way how to feel compassion.
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post #9 of 23
10/27/07 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by felineorc View Post
Maybe they should be made do community service in the BURNS WARD of their local children's hospital and maybe they will see the pain and agony that they put the kitten through. (probably this would be classed as a cruel and unnatural punishment - but I think it fits the crime.)

I doubt it would be done though. These days the laws seem to favour the criminals and not the victims.

(I do agree with you though, catsknowme)
That would be a very fitting punishment.
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post #10 of 23
10/27/07 at 5:05pm
Personally, I think an eye for an eye. Set the b******s on fire. Let them know first hand the pain that the poor kitten felt.
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post #11 of 23
10/27/07 at 7:25pm
And what will that achieve? Satisfaction for those who need revenge to feel that justice has been served? If so....it's not worth it, IMO. I thought the idea was to make sure that people like this didn't re-offend, and that they understood thoroughly why what they have done is so terribly wrong.

I thought the Dark Ages were over centuries ago.
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post #12 of 23
10/27/07 at 7:56pm
My first instinct is to say toss 'em in a bonfire. I remember my youngest brother impaling live frogs on sticks from bottom to mouth when he was 13 yrs old. The other kids were doing it and he really wanted to fit in. They were all laughing and swinging the sticks around. He was raised in an animal-loving family so there was no excuse.

Without going in to detail, I caught him and he learned a tough lesson. Today, he is a great guy and still loves animals. He still isn't sure what made him do that. Perhaps these girls simply weren't thinking. I know that sounds naive but children/teens don't always consider others before themselves. I agree that working in a burn unit would be great. They need to see how such actions affect those they can relate to (humans).

I am sure the judge would never hand down such a sentence though. They will proably get a fine and some type of commuity service - hopefully not at an animal shelter.
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post #13 of 23
10/27/07 at 8:06pm
When I was a very young child I had some serious problems - later in life I was to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder but as a child that often manifested itself in acts of rage and also self-harm.

I am ashamed and embarrassed to admit to this, but at kindergarted once (and I remember this as if it were yesterday) I killed a guinea-pig. With my bare hands, because I was enacting a scenario where I was an angry mother. I had imagined that the guinea-pig was being `naughty' and I was shaking it, and berating it. I'll never forget it - it died, I broke its neck.

Now, the person that I am today does not reconcile with this AT ALL. I can't bear any form of cruelty to any living creature, I volunteer at animal welfare organisations, I am a dog trainer, I am intimately involved in animals and their wellbeing and have been my whole life. Why did I kill that poor defenceless creature? I was only four years old - but still. No excuses there, either.

Should I have had my neck broken? Oft times I believe that acts such as these are indicative of much deeper problems. These people need to be understood, not subjected to vengeance.
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post #14 of 23
10/27/07 at 11:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva! View Post
When I was a very young child I had some serious problems - later in life I was to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder but as a child that often manifested itself in acts of rage and also self-harm.

I am ashamed and embarrassed to admit to this, but at kindergarted once (and I remember this as if it were yesterday) I killed a guinea-pig. With my bare hands, because I was enacting a scenario where I was an angry mother. I had imagined that the guinea-pig was being `naughty' and I was shaking it, and berating it. I'll never forget it - it died, I broke its neck.

Now, the person that I am today does not reconcile with this AT ALL. I can't bear any form of cruelty to any living creature, I volunteer at animal welfare organisations, I am a dog trainer, I am intimately involved in animals and their wellbeing and have been my whole life. Why did I kill that poor defenceless creature? I was only four years old - but still. No excuses there, either.

Should I have had my neck broken? Oft times I believe that acts such as these are indicative of much deeper problems. These people need to be understood, not subjected to vengeance.
These girls are 15, not 4. The cat had to have surgeries, skin grafts, lost his tail, and parts of his ears. I don't know what punishment the law allows for juveniles, but I hope they get the maximum of whatever it is.
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post #15 of 23
10/27/07 at 11:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva! View Post
When I was a very young child I had some serious problems - later in life I was to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder but as a child that often manifested itself in acts of rage and also self-harm.

I am ashamed and embarrassed to admit to this, but at kindergarted once (and I remember this as if it were yesterday) I killed a guinea-pig. With my bare hands, because I was enacting a scenario where I was an angry mother. I had imagined that the guinea-pig was being `naughty' and I was shaking it, and berating it. I'll never forget it - it died, I broke its neck.

Now, the person that I am today does not reconcile with this AT ALL. I can't bear any form of cruelty to any living creature, I volunteer at animal welfare organisations, I am a dog trainer, I am intimately involved in animals and their wellbeing and have been my whole life. Why did I kill that poor defenceless creature? I was only four years old - but still. No excuses there, either.

Should I have had my neck broken? Oft times I believe that acts such as these are indicative of much deeper problems. These people need to be understood, not subjected to vengeance.

you where 4, that is alot of difference between the 2.
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post #16 of 23
10/27/07 at 11:39pm
I know, I know - but 15-year-olds can arguably have problems, the same as little children - in fact teenagers would have more and bigger problems than a 4-year-old.

I am not trying to justify this heinous crime, or excuse the girls involved. I just can't help but think that anyone - child, teenager or adult - who could do this kind of thing needs help, as well as their due punishment.
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post #17 of 23
10/28/07 at 10:55am
To all who are calling for an eye for an eye here.. Would you be the one willing to light that match?
What sort of depravity would that say about you for choosing to set (and torture) two children on fire? Would you then need to be "punished" in the same way?
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post #18 of 23
10/28/07 at 12:02pm
My biggest concern is that they are past the age where they will "learn" concern and caring for others. Talk to any psychologist and they will agree.
There is a difference in behavior geared to fitting in and coming up with the horrific idea in the first place. Kids trying to fit may be salvagable, the others are, sad to say, past this point.

When you see teachers/schools taking a strong stand in dealing with young children, it's because they realize the short amount of time left to make a difference in the child's life.
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post #19 of 23
10/28/07 at 4:22pm
holy crap. That is very disturbing. Additionally, kids who abuse animals often grow up to be serial killers. Maybe we should just lock her up now.
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post #20 of 23
10/28/07 at 4:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mom of 4 View Post
My biggest concern is that they are past the age where they will "learn" concern and caring for others. Talk to any psychologist and they will agree.
There is a difference in behavior geared to fitting in and coming up with the horrific idea in the first place. Kids trying to fit may be salvagable, the others are, sad to say, past this point.

When you see teachers/schools taking a strong stand in dealing with young children, it's because they realize the short amount of time left to make a difference in the child's life.
I think you could talk to any psychologist and they would agree that you are never too old to learn these things - otherwise why would we have psychologists? By that rationale, everyone would be a lost cause by the time they reached puberty.
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post #21 of 23
10/30/07 at 9:29am
In a locked room with me for 10 minutes and a baseball bat!.

Does that make me sink to their level?, maybe, but someone has to speak up for the animals, and words IMO don't work for people like this
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post #22 of 23
10/30/07 at 10:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquarius View Post
holy crap. That is very disturbing. Additionally, kids who abuse animals often grow up to be serial killers. Maybe we should just lock her up now.
When the story originally broke out, there was the sideline of the 11 year-old boy & his little friends who originally rescued the kittens were the same children who had been continually bullied by those same 2 girls. Supposedly, the little kids of the entire complex were terrified of those mean girls, which does add a gloomy twist to the tale
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post #23 of 23
10/30/07 at 7:33pm
Several years ago the clinic I worked at took in a kitten that had been set on fire by a couple of boys. We received a great deal of media attention and donations from across the US. Eventually Purr Purr died from infection, leaving behind several thousand dollars in donations. This money went toward saving animals that normally would have been PTS without a second thought. I think the boys got community service, but I know for a fact that some cats and dogs lived only because of the money set aside for Purr Purr. I don't know whether community service made a difference in these boys' lives, but I know the money helped animals. So...in addition to community service, I would like to see these girls assume a financial responsibility for their crime...not only for Adam's care, but a portion of their wages for years to come.

Then, of course, I'd like to beat them with a 2x4.
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