South Carolina: Bethany Polutta, 18, Austin Kizer, 19, and two juveniles arrested after posting photos and videos of themselves laughing, torturing and beating an opossum to death

SOUTH CAROLINA -- Two adults and two teenagers are facing misdemeanor charges after a “disturbing” video was posted on Snapchat that showed an opossum being hung by its tail dangling over a dog and beaten with a baseball bat.

However, animal activists groups are pushing for further charges in an online petition, saying that the misdemeanor charges “in no way cover(s) the actions of these defendants.”

Bethany Polutta, 18, of Summerville, South Carolina and Austin Kizer, 19, of St. George, South Carolina, along with two people under age 18, have been charged with ill treatment of an animal, according to David Lucas, of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

Lucas said the two adults will appear in magistrate’s court, while the juveniles’ cases will be handled in family court.

 

Authorities began investigating the incident in September when a video was posted on Snapchat that appeared to show several teenagers beating an opossum with a baseball bat in a garage.

People who saw the Snapchat video took screenshots of the incident and turned them over to the Department of Natural Resources, Lucas said.

“I think anyone who saw (the screenshots) would think it’s disturbing,” Lucas said.

The video sparked anger and uproar on social media. Renate Hartland, a wildlife volunteer in Seattle, launched an online petition to Dorchester County Solicitor David Pascoe demanding harsh punishment for the abusers in the video.

Hartland, along with other animal activists, named the opossum “Hope” and started the Facebook page “In Light of Hope” for the animal’s supporters. The Change.org petition has more than 33,000 signatures and the Facebook page has more than 1,400 followers.

The petition requests more serious punishment than the misdemeanor abuse charge, which carries a maximum punishment of 90 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000 on the first offense.

Instead, petitioners are asking for the offenders to face felony charges for torture, torment, or cruel killing, with a minimum punishment of 180 days in jail.

“The animal suffered repeated, persistent, merciless pain,” the petition reads. “The pain and suffering inflicted upon the opossum goes far beyond anything tolerable in a decent society. This is not ‘generic’ animal suffering, this is specific torture and torment.”

Lucas said Monday that further charges from his department are not expected.

“The case on our end is closed, but the solicitor might further investigate the incident,” he said.

This is the second time in six months the state’s Department of Natural Resources has investigated teenagers abusing an animal on Snapchat.

In May, two Ridgeland, South Carolina men were charged with animal abuse after investigation into photos of a group of men pouring beer down an alligator’s throat.

In response to the opossum incident, PETA has sent letters to schools in the area urging them to implement humane education.

“We’re facing a bullying epidemic, and these boys allegedly beat an opossum to death with a baseball bat and bragged about it on social media,” said PETA spokesperson Marta Holmberg in an online press release. “TeachKind is urging schools to implement humane education and adopt an official policy against cruelty to animals that will help prevent a shocking crime like this one from occurring again.”

(Miami Herald - Oct 9, 2017)

Earlier:

• South Carolina: Future serial killers - Laughing teens tortured and beat opossum to death with a baseball bat then posted photos and videos on Snapchat.

Related:

Pennsylvania: High school football players charged with animal cruelty, accused of beating, torturing and killing animals for fun

Nebraska: Despite admitting to being present when 3 teen boys killed a cat they'd tortured, judge rules Kirk Van Pelt not guilty of animal cruelty

Australia: Opossum torturer Hunter Jonasen, 18, punched a stranger so hard that 'part of the victim's lip was missing' while on probation for torturing a possum and posting the video to Snapchat

North Carolina: Teens Jared Rose and Kalob Hubbard torture and burn opossum alive and are so proud of themselves they post on Instagram

 

North Carolina: Two future serial killers beat opossum and then set it and its babies on fire, killing it

The sister says of the opossum, "You shot its tongue off. The poor thing.... oh my God. This is way more bloodier than the skunk."

New York: Several teens filmed themselves gleefully torturing a turtle to death. Maximum punishment? $250 fine and "up to 15 days in jail". But we all know that jail time will NEVER happen.

Hawaii: Christian Gutierrez given 45-days in jail for torturing albatross birds to death by breaking their bones, chopping off their feet, kicking them, stomping them, and beating them to death with a baseball bat.

South Carolina: Future serial killers - Laughing teens tortured and beat opossum to death with a baseball bat then posted photos and videos on Snapchat.

SOUTH CAROLINA -- The S.C. Department of Natural Resources is investigating after photos posted on social media showed a group of teens torturing and beating an opossum in the air with a baseball bat, beating it with a stick and holding the animal by its tail, trying to get a dog to attack it.

David Lucas, a DNR spokesman, said the agency received a complaint about the incident over the weekend. A tip sent to DNR included screenshots from a Snapchat video that investigators believe was recorded in the Summerville area.

 

Investigators have identified the people in the video and are talking with the teens and their parents, Lucas said. It was not known Tuesday whether charges will be filed.

Cierra Black watched the Snapchat video filmed by a mutual friend and shared the images to Facebook and with DNR.

Black said the video began with people poking at the opossum on a table in a garage. 

 

 

A girl can be heard laughing saying, "You broke its leg haha!"

A teen grabbed the animal by its tail and held it over a dog. Black said one person threw the opossum in the air and another hit it with a baseball bat. 

The animal landed on the ground where the individuals continued to beat it with a bat, she said. 

"Disturbing is the word that comes to mind," Lucas said of the images.

I don't know what's more disturbing: the fact that they were OK with torturing and killing a small defenseless animal or the fact that they were so proud of their handiwork that they quickly uploaded photos and videos to Snapchat in an effort to be 'internet famous' with other like-minded sadists.

The incident comes at a time when another South Carolina wildlife cruelty case is fresh on people's minds.

In May, two Jasper County men were charged with misdemeanor harassment of wildlife for allegedly pouring beer into an alligator's mouth. DNR was also alerted to that case thanks to photos posted on social media.

Anonymous tips may be submitted to DNR's Operation Game Thief line at 1-800-922-5431 or by downloading the SCDNR Tips app from iTunes or Google Play.

 

  

  

 

Update: 
Four of these disgusting human beings have been arrested and charged.

Bethany Polutta, 18, of Summerville, South Carolina and Austin Kizer, 19, of St. George, South Carolina, along with two people under age 18, have been charged with ill treatment of an animal, according to David Lucas, of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. 

(Post and Courier - Sept 19, 2017)

Virginia: Portsmouth Police Department officers go out of their way to help animals

VIRGINIA -- A police officer rescued a baby squirrel on Tuesday.

The Portsmouth Police Department tweeted that Master Police Officer J. Worley rescued the 5-week-old at the 500 block of Spectator St.

The little fellow has been given the name, "Speckles of Spectator."

The police department said that the baby squirrel was taken to a wildlife rehabilitator with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

The rehabber believed the squirrel probably opened its eyes for the first time a few days before the officer rescued him.

Speckles is on his way to recovery, and he is safe and happy.

This isn't the first time someone from the Portsmouth Police Department rescued a little critter!

Back in June:

Portsmouth Police Department added 3 new photos to Facebook on
June 17, 2017 ·

Today was a most eventful day for several of our Uniform Patrol and Animal Control Officers in the City of Portsmouth.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., Officer Saunders, responded to the 1300 block of Highland Avenue for an injured opossum on the side of the road.

Unfortunately, the opossum had suffered fatal injuries and passed away. However, Officer Saunders noticed that the opossum appeared to have a pouch. Upon further investigation, Officer Saunders located 11 baby opossums inside the pouch and rescued them. He then turned the babies over to Animal Control for care.

Shortly after Officer Saunders rescued the baby opossums, Animal Control Officer Currie located and rescued a pet pig that had gotten loose in the 4000 block of County Street. The pet pig was taken to the Human Society and the owner located.

And finally, Officer Conn located and rescued a baby bird shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the 3400 block of Columbia Street. The baby bird had fallen from its nest in a tree.

Thanks to these officers, the animals they rescued are now safe from harm and will get the care they need to survive. #PPD #UP1stPlatoon #WildlifeRescue #ADayInTheLifeOfAPatrolOfficer

Portsmouth Police Department posted on Facebook June 21, 2017 ·

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!!

Here's a little story to warm your heart this morning....

On Friday, June 16, 2017, just before 7:00 a.m., Officers C. Hawes and E. Sjoberg responded to the 1500 block of Ward Terrace for a baby raccoon stuck under the wheel well of a citizen's vehicle.

 

The officers worked diligently to free the scared raccoon. Finally, Officer Sjoberg was able to get the baby raccoon out safe and sound.

Way to go Officers Sjoberg and Hawes for answering the call to help save this baby raccoon. And thank you to the citizen who noticed the baby raccoon and called for help. #PPD #WildlifeRescues

(13NewsNow - August 30, 2017)

Australia: Opossum torturer Hunter Jonasen, 18, punched a stranger so hard that 'part of the victim's lip was missing' while on probation for torturing a possum and posting the video to Snapchat

AUSTRALIA -- A Brisbane teenager who brutally tortured an opossum and uploaded a video of its suffering to Snapchat is a 'serious danger to the community', a court has heard.

Hunter Lawrence Jonasen could be heard 'jeering and cheering' with Callum Gibson Mckenzie, 17, as they purposely ran over the animal on Christmas Day in 2015.

They were allegedly behind the video which showed the bloodied possum struggling under a car wheel until its entrails were hanging out.

The helpless possum could be seen trying to flee from the boys, despite having part of its lower half severed, as they pair laughed with glee. 

Jonasen was not convicted over the incident but was given a probation order meaning he had to keep out of trouble for one year or he would be re-sentenced.

That order was due to expire next month but the 18-year-old found himself back in court on Friday for assaulting a man while on probation.

Holland Park Magistrates Court heard Jonasen punched a stranger in the face outside a nightclub so hard that part of the victim's lip was missing.

Magistrate Sheryl Cornack said studies showed young men who are cruel to animals subsequently go on to hurt other people.

Ms Cornack said Jonasen was on 'trajectory' and needed psychiatric help.

'He's got a severe defect that the rest of the community needs to be protected from,' Ms Cornack said. 'He should have an order that he never own an animal. He shouldn't be near any dogs, cats or birds.'

Jonasen was sentenced to a new two-year probation order, banned from owning an animal for two years and ordered not to interfere with native wildlife.

That punishment was on top of another one-year probation order Jonasen was given for the assault in January 2017.

RSPCA prosecutor Tracey Jackson said the organisation was pleased with the outcome.

'There's an undeniable correlation between people who offend against animals and people who offend against people,' Ms Jackson said.

'Whether or not you care about animals, you need to care about animal welfare and about how our society and our community deals with it.'

Jonasen's defense lawyer claimed the teenager was 'extremely remorseful' for his actions, which would 'dog him' for the rest of his life.

(Daily Mail - April 28, 2017)

Nebraska: Despite admitting to being present when 3 teen boys killed a cat they'd tortured, judge rules Kirk Van Pelt not guilty of animal cruelty

NEBRASKA -- A former Stanton County deputy was found not guilty Thursday following his trial here on charges related to an animal cruelty incident that took place last year.

Kirk Van Pelt, who was represented by Doug Stratton of Norfolk, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting cruel mistreatment of an animal and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child for his alleged role in the torture of an opossum and cat.

After both Stratton and the prosecution rested their cases, Judge Michael Long took the case under advisement to deliberate before handing his judgment down Thursday afternoon in Stanton County District Court.

Van Pelt was found not guilty by Long of five charges because the sixth — one of the counts of aiding and abetting cruel mistreatment of an animal — was dismissed.

The two incidents in question occurred between Oct. 20 and Nov. 3 of last year, shortly after which time the Stanton County Sheriff’s Department opened an investigation after a cell phone video had circulated showing young teens killing a cat.

Special prosecutor Amy Miller called five witnesses to the stand, including three of the four juveniles involved. They were sentenced earlier this year to probation and community service. Miller also called Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger and Dept. Jeremy Goeken to testify.

Stratton cross-examined each witness but only called his own client to the stand. He made the case that there was no evidence that Van Pelt had aided and abetted any crime or encouraged any delinquency.

Miller said Van Pelt had been aware of the incidents since they occurred at his home and he is related to one of the juveniles. She said the defendant had been present for at least 22 seconds before the cat died, during which time he did nothing to stop the boys from killing it and allegedly could be heard to say, “Lay it (the cat) down.” After that, the cat could be seen being laid down in the video and one of the boys was heard to have laughed.

Stratton argued that his client had said, “What are you doing?” as he had approached the boys who were “putting the cat out of its misery.”

Van Pelt's attorney describes this as "putting it out of its misery" -- MORE LIKE FULFILLING A PSYCHOTIC DESIRE TO TORTURE, MAIM AND KILL.

The three juvenile witnesses did all say they had attempted to kill the cat by shooting it with homemade darts used in a crossbow while it was trapped in the humane trap. However, after shooting the poor animal several times and it "wouldn't die", they decided to get a hunting bow and then shoot the cat with the hunting bow to kill it.

The feral cat had been captured in a humane trap in Van Pelt’s garage after it had killed several kittens being taken care of there, according to Van Pelt and the juvenile witnesses.

I've never heard of a feral cat entering a building where humans regularly go and attack and kill tame kittens...

The cell phone video was not shown in the courtroom but was watched only by Judge Long since the proceedings were a bench trial, which is a trial by judge instead of a trial by jury.

Regarding the opossum, Stratton said his client did not have any knowledge of the juveniles killing that animal until he was informed by law enforcement. Van Pelt and two of the juvenile witnesses testified the same.

The third juvenile said Van Pelt had seen the opossum being held captive in a four-foot deep window well, from which it could not escape, and then saw it again later after it had been killed.

The three juvenile witnesses dispute what exactly happened with the opossum, but all agreed it had been caught in a live trap in Van Pelt’s garage by one of the boys and kept alive for two days before they decided to kill it.

The third juvenile witness, who testified that Van Pelt knew about the opossum, admitted to setting the animal on fire before another boy again used a hunting bow to kill it.

(Norfolk Daily News - July 28, 2016)

Earlier:

• Former Sheriff's Deputy and current school board member, Kirk Van Pelt, is charged in horrific cruelty torture case
• Nebraska: Teen, 14, admits guilt in torturing and killing animals

Florida: Delvin Sasnett and Gary Bragg charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty

FLORIDA -- On March 11, at approximately 3 a.m., Gary Allen Bragg (aka Gary Brigg), 23, of 106 Ave. A East, Winter Haven, and Delvin Eugene Sasnett, 25, of 2956 U.S. 17-92 W., Haines City, were arrested following an incident in which Bartow Police were dispatched to an area of Lake Ruth after a reporting party advised seeing flashlights on the bank of the lake and hearing what sounded like a BB gun being fired.

The reporting party suspected someone was hunting the ducks at the lake.

Defendants were located by law enforcement on the east bank of Lake Ruth and were hunting and trapping ducks. In the back of the defendants’ vehicle were 11 ducks in metal cages; five had been shot with a pellet rifle.

Ducks not instantly killed had been placed into cages and left to die from wounds rather than killed humanely, police reported. Bartow Police observed three of the five ducks still alive; those died before the investigation was completed.

The six surviving ducks were released from the cages. The five deceased ducks were removed from the cages and photographed. Only three ducks were observed remaining at Lake Ruth.

There were also dead opossums in the bed of the truck, killed with a metal baseball bat. The bat, as well as the pellet gun were recovered on the scene.

Bragg was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty; 11 counts of Bartow Bird and Squirrel Sanctuary; 1 count of park regulations-hunt/trap/kill animals.

Sasnett was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty; 11 counts of Bartow Bird and Squirrel Sanctuary; 1 count of park regulations-hunt/trap/kill animals.

SUSPECT INFORMATION FOR DELVIN EUGENE SASNETT: 
Booking Number: 2016-009177
Booking on: 3/11/2016
County: Polk
Date of Birth: 11/21/1990
Gender: M
Race: W
Charges:

Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUI
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(50-64)
Violation Description: Park Regulations-Hunt/Trap/Kill Animals - PARK REGULATIONS-HUN/TRAP/KILL ANIMA
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - Animal Cruelty-Torme

SUSPECT INFORMATION FOR GARY ALLEN BRAGG:
GARY ALLEN BRAGG (AKA GARY BRIGG)
Booking Number: 2016-009176 
Booking on: 3/11/2016 
County: Polk 
Date of Birth: 8/29/1992 
Gender: M 
Race: W

Charges

Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(14-3)
Violation Description: BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY - BARTOW BIRD AND SQUIRREL SANCTUARY
Violation Code: BAR-CITYCODE(50-64)
Violation Description: Park Regulations-Hunt/Trap/Kill Animals - PARK REG-HUNT/TRAP/KILL ANIMALS
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUEL-TORM/DEPRIVE/MULT/KILL
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUELTY-TORMEANIMAL CRUEL-TOR
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUEL-TORM/DEPRIVE/MULT/KILL
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUEL-TORM/DEPRIVE/MULT/KILL
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUEL-TORM/DEPRIVE/MULT/KILL
Violation Code: 828.12(1)
Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUEL-TORM/DEPRIVE/MULT/KILL
Violation Code: 828.12(1)

Violation Description: Animal Cruelty-Torment/Deprive/Mutilate/Ki - ANIMAL CRUEL-TORM/DEPRIVE/MULT/KILL

(YourSun - March 23, 2016)