Wichita Falls teens charged with animal cruelty after video circulates of cat being killed

After Wichita Falls police investigated a video shared on social media showing juveniles killing a kitten and dismembering the animal, an arrest was made Wednesday afternoon and another expected later in the evening.

According to WFPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Harold McClure, detectives with the WFPDs Juvenile Unit "arrested a juvenile female" Wednesday, with a "second arrest of another juvenile female is expected later this evening."

The video, shared on Snapchat, can be described as extremely graphic and disturbing. The teens, police said, could face animal cruelty charges. The Times Record News watched the video and opted not to post the link.

"We are very well aware of the situation and it is being investigated by juvenile investigators," McClure said earlier Wednesday.

"The video is not worth watching. It is bad."

In the video, a girl can be seen sticking what looks like a large kitchen knife into the head of a black and white kitten, which tries to run away. Later in the video, someone slams a bag against the floor. Later, the kitten appears to be disemboweled.

The video sparked outcries on social media, including Facebook, where posts called for stiff penalties and questioned how anyone, much less children, could do this to an animal.

Kim Rushing Brown, posting on Facebook, said: "They need to face charges (and) I hope the judge (throws) the book at them and they get (to spend) lots of time in juvenile detention. What they did was horrible, and they can't say they (didn't) mean it, or (they're) sorry. They knew what they were doing and it was the (cruelest) thing they (could've) gone to an animal. (There's) no telling how many other times (they've done) this without getting caught."

Other posts described both girls as 14, and one of them receiving backlash at school on Wednesday.

"Seriously – my stomach hurts," posted Alecia Jean Lindsey. "I hate that she apparently was jumped at school –Not how it should be justified – what she did to those animals... you must wonder how long it’s been going on. And the girl who stood there to film multiple angles and versions – WTF. I’m just having a hard time processing this entire thread right now.



"I hope justice is served and pray if she was jumped at school today, it doesn’t (affect) the prosecution side."

"This is heart breaking,' posted Sandy Rogers on Facebook. "Yes, for the kitten who suffered her actions and died a horrific, agonizing death, but even more so for our community, our society, and for this child. Just sickened by it all."

Ashley Thomas, public information officer for the Wichita Falls Independent School District, where the teenagers reportedly attended, said the administration was aware of the video, "but because the matter has been turned over to the police, it's out of our hands." Thomas said she could not comment further.

Katrena Mitchell Hamberger, Wichita Falls Animal Services administrator, said Wednesday that cases of animal cruelty are unfortunately common.

"Wichita Falls sees a whole range of animal cruelty cases every day," Hamberger said. "They range from neglect to cruelty. We see cases where people have moved out of rental property and left the animals without food or water."

While she would not comment on the specific video in question, Hamberger urged those who witness cases of animal cruelty to alert the authorities rather than sharing on social media.