Indiana: IMPD now investigating after neighbors found cat mutilated in Franklin Twp subdivision

INDIANA --  IMPD is now involved after several reports surfaced of cats being mutulated in a Franklin Township neighborhood.

There are at least three cases coming from the Southern Lakes subdivision near Arlington and Stop 11.

Police are now involved because if a person doing this, it’s considered criminal. A suspect could face animal abuse and mutilation charges, they say.

Becky Younger is keeping a close eye on her dogs after the disturbing death of her beloved cat Cleo.

“Her head was laying separate from the rest…her head and part of her body was here. She was sliced in half like precisely cut. It was not torn up. There was no signs of a struggle whatsoever. Her legs were over here with the rest of her body and her tail was cut off,” she said.

Younger’s initial thought was that a wild animal had attacked Cleo. But, after getting a closer look, she believes it was something more sinister.

“Because it was a straight line cut. Like if you would’ve taken an ax or something and just…but there was no blood. No blood anywhere to be found. No sign of a struggle,” she described.

What happened to Cleo sounds disgustingly similar to what happened to another cat found in the neighborhood.  Pictures show its body split in two; no signs of an attack either.

IMPD officer Theresa Redman is now investigating these cases and looking into others reported on the Franklin Township Crime Facebook page.

“Social media actually, for me as an investigator, is a great thing. It’s just a little more difficult when I have to stay on the computer and read all the stuff rather than somebody making an actual report,” she said.

Officer Redman is urging people to report incidents to police. Because, for now, they’re not sure of the scope of the problem, or who or what is responsible.

“We are concerned when things like this go on, especially in a particular neighborhood where we can establish a pattern,” said Redman.

A troubling pattern, that Becky is taking more seriously now.

“I don’t leave them out for any length of time. Especially at night. We have lights back there now,” she said.

If you see anything suspicious, call police. Investigators are also asking neighbors to view their surveillance video and call police with any clues.

(WISH-TV - Sept 16, 2016)