A 71-year-old Illinois woman killed a cat and four kittens to punish her grandchildren for not cleaning their rooms, authorities say.

Josephine E. Bell, of the southwestern Illinois town of Godfrey, was arrested Monday night and charged with felony animal cruelty. She remained in jail Tuesday in lieu of $15,000 bail.

A teen resident said she found a dead cat in the family's freezer. Bell told a Madison County sheriff's deputy she killed the five felines with a hammer after previously warning her grandchildren to take better care of their pets.

The four dead kittens were reportedly thrown away and could not be found.

It wasn't immediately known if Bell had legal representation who could comment on the allegation.