HORRIBLE!! Man pleads guilty in forcing 7-yr-old daughter to stab cat!!!
By Wendy
@jerzgirl (9234)
United States
August 1, 2008 9:33am CST
This horrible example of humanity told his children he wanted them to learn to kill. He put a knife in his daughter's hand and forced her to stab their cat. His 11-yr-old son tried to protect the cat, but he found it and then killed it by hand. This upsets me so much, literally sickens me. Yet, he is only being charged with animal cruelty. What about child abuse??? This poor excuse for a man needs to be punished for the mental anguish he put his children through in addition to what he did to that poor animal. He needs to lose his parental rights completely - never to have contact with those kids again!!! 
Here's the story: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1-08012008-1571256.html
I am so glad the kids' moral values were higher than the father's and that they were willing to tell police what happened. 
How do you feel about this? Is his punishment sufficient? Or should there be more? Do you think it's possible additional charges will be filed?
Here's the story: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1-08012008-1571256.html
I am so glad the kids' moral values were higher than the father's and that they were willing to tell police what happened.
How do you feel about this? Is his punishment sufficient? Or should there be more? Do you think it's possible additional charges will be filed?1 person likes this
9 responses
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
2 Aug 08
They had charged him with "intimidation", I'm assuming of his children, but dropped the charges because he pled to the cruelty charge. I don't consider intimidation to be child abuse - I think the child abuse charges should be separate and distinct. I hope the kids never ever think that they are to blame for any of this!! 
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
2 Aug 08
Maybe that would be a good petition to start on ThePetitionSite.com and have it sent to the Muncie, Indiana, police department when it reaches a set number of signatures!
Here's a link to the original article giving his name, age, and showing a photo of him. We would need that to do the petition. I like your thinking on this!! If people can petition parole boards when someone has served their time, why not to push for additional charges before hand when they're warranted!!??
http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200808010317/NEWS01/808010334
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
2 Aug 08
That is really horrible, that poor cat and that poor little girl. That is not a memory that I would want my children to have at all. I do not think that it was sufficient punishment he should have had a lot more.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
2 Aug 08
Worse than that is that they are old enough to know what kind of man their father is - it's not like they grew up thinking all was well and were fairly well-off emotionally before they learned. This was discovered during some of the formative years of their lives!! I'd rather be disillusioned as an adult than as a child. At least I would have been given my childhood. 
@ashleecook (199)
• Canada
2 Aug 08
this is horrendous. i think it is a real warning sign when someone has the desire to hurt a defenseless animal.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
4 Aug 08
My son's father started taking him hunting with him when Paul was 5. But, I think this was more than that - nothing at all beneficial. I get the distinct impression he was deliberately harming something his children loved to hurt his children. I don't know if he felt his children didn't like him (not that I'd blame them) or if they betrayed him or what, but it just "feels" like something someone does in retaliation for some imagined offense. So he took the kitten they loved and, not only killed it, but made them hurt it as well so they'd never ever forget what he did. It's just a gut feeling I have about it. This just seems like way more than mere anger, and was definitely more than a "lesson".
@shinigami79 (259)
• Japan
1 Aug 08
that just sick! hes training his children to enjoy killing i guess maybe hes a some serial killer hope the police would investigate hi background no normal human beings would teach their children how to kill! but im glad that the 11 year old boy knows whats right and wrong at a tender age but if this kind parenting would go on for years theres no doubt its a serial killer in the making.. he should get 20 years to jail and contact with his kids or any other kids at all!
1 person likes this
@honeydew82174 (1720)
• United States
1 Aug 08
That is sick! I think he should be responsible for the mental abuse to the children. What the heck kind of parent teaches their children to kill? I wonder where the mother was. I do not feel being drunk is a good excuse or I can not remember. the court system is to light on criminals for me. He is lucky he got 18 months. I see rapes who get less. It is no cake walk in prison so they will eat him up in there. i feel bad for those poor kids. the nightmares they are going to have.
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
2 Aug 08
I found the original article out of Muncie and it describes in detail all the injuries to that poor animal and says he worked a plea agreement where they'd drop the "intimidation" charges. Intimidation charges? THAT'S what they charged him with in addition to the cruelty charge? No child abuse charges???? This man deserves to be charged. He is the lowest form of life there is!
I do hope the kids get counseling and have someone other than this moron to live with.
I do hope the kids get counseling and have someone other than this moron to live with.
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
2 Aug 08
No, his punishment is not sufficient. He should spend years in prison for what he has done. The excuse that he was drunk doesn't fly. And he should lose his children as well. I can't imagine the horror the children are going thru living in such a household.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
2 Aug 08
I agree - being drunk is NEVER an excuse. It's a copout! I hope the children are showered with loads of love and attention by people who REALLY care and are given sufficient counseling so they know that they did do all they could to prevent such a thing from happening and that it's not their faults. What a burden to carry as a child!!
