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Dog burned alive - 3 teenage girls face charges
Benton, LA (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Nov 27, 2004
County: Bossier
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Ashley Cochran - Convicted
» 13 year old girl
» 14 year old girl
» Christopher A Myers - Convicted
» Kristi Kay Maroon
Case Updates: 4 update(s) available
Three teenage girls face charges of animal cruelty after allegedly pouring lighter fluid on a dachshund and setting the dog on fire twice at approximately 2:30 AM on the morning of Nov 27, 2004.
Bossier Parish sheriff's spokesman Ed Baswell says the girls allegedly took the four-year-old dog named Coco to a known dumping ground for animal carcasses left by hunters northeast of Benton.
There, he says, they poured lighter fluid on the dog and used a cigarette lighter to ignite the animal. The dog ran away in flames, which quickly went out.
Baswell says the teenagers caught the dog and set it on fire again. The dog ran a bit further that time, engulfed in flames. He says the fire went out, and the dog was still alive but fled into the woods where they left it early Saturday.
Baswell says deputies were called by the parent of a youth who had heard the teenagers discussing the incident and when deputies confronted the girls they confessed.
Meanwhile, Coco's owner, Dan Wolff, is still searching for his dog. He says he's still trying to figure out why the girls did what they did.
Eighteen-year-old Ashley Cochran was booked with cruelty to an animal and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Bond was set at eight-thousand dollars. Two other girls, a 13- and 14-year-old, have been charged with cruelty to an animal. Their names have not been released because they're juveniles.
To contact prosecuting attorney J. Schuyler Marvin to urge that he prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law, and recommend mandatory psychological counseling if these youths are convicted:
J. Schuyler Marvin
[email protected]
Case UpdatesTwo of the teenagers pleaded guilty May 3, 2005, to setting a dachshund on fire and were sentenced to jail and to clean out kennels.
State District Judge Jeff Cox sentenced Ashley Cochran, 18, to one year in jail for pouring lighter fluid on the dog and igniting it. The other boy, Christopher Myers, also 18, was sentenced to six months for not stopping the attack.
After completing their jail time, they will have to perform 500 hours of community service at an animal shelter, including cleaning out kennels.
Cox said the case "has kept me up at night. ... It makes me sick to my heart about what happened."
Authorities said the 4-year-old dog, named Coco, was set on fire last November. The dog ran away and has never been found.
Three juveniles, ages 13, 14 and 16, also were charged in the case. The dog belonged to the youngest child, authorities said. | Source: newsday.com - may 3, 2005
Update posted on May 3, 2005 - 3:05PM |
A 40-year-old woman is the sixth person arrested in an investigation that grew from the burning of two pet dogs in Bossier Parish.
Kristi Kay Maroon was booked with accessory after the fact in the burning of a 4-year-old dachshund. She is accused of trying to mislead investigators in that case. | Source: Associated Press - Dec 3, 2004
Update posted on Dec 3, 2004 - 8:45PM |
Bossier Parish Sheriff's deputies are working a second case of a dog burning in which the animal, a schnauzer, died. Investigators say a teenager admitted to the killing, saying the dog was set on fire and died. Deputies say at least two more arrests, of additional suspects, are expected Thursday afternoon. Investigators did not identify the suspects in schnauzer case but said there are connections to the original dog burning case they announced Monday.
Bossier Parish Sheriff's spokesman Ed Baswell says the incident involving the schnauzer happened about ten days before a dachshund was set on fire. | Source: KSLA
Update posted on Dec 3, 2004 - 6:12AM |
There was still no sign today of a dachshund that was set on fire over the weekend in an apparent teen-age prank. The dog was last seen running into the woods northeast of Benton in Bossier Parish.
Three girls arrested in the case are the dog's 13-year-old owner and two neighbors.
An arrest warrant is also out for an 18-year-old male and sheriff's investigators said they are considering charges against a 16-year-old boy.
The teens range in age from 13 to 18. The oldest girl's mother said she is going to leave her daughter in jail a couple of days before she bonds her out.
Ashley Cochran, 18, was booked on three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of cruelty to an animal. Her 14-year-old sister was booked on charges of cruelty to an animal.
"She knows what she did was wrong," Cochran's mother, Donna, said of her older daughter. She described her daughter as an honors student who completed the ROTC program in high school but whose attitude changed after graduation.
"It's hurtful when you go from something like this to something different in a short period of time," said Cochran, who said she plans to leave her daughter in jail a couple of days.
"I feel mad, hurt, angry -- but I would say hurt more than anything because I've always had a good relationship with Ashley," she said.
Cochran took her 14-year-old daughter out of school early today because other students were harassing her.
Cochran said her daughters love animals and have two dogs of their own. She said she has talked to Coco's owners and they remain friends. She hopes to get counseling for her daughters. | Source: KTBS - Nov 30, 2004
Update posted on Dec 1, 2004 - 3:19AM |
References
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