Case Snapshot

Case ID: 14523

Classification: Throwing, Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: cat

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Kittens thrown from third-story window
Paterson, NJ (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 4, 2008
County: Passaic

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 2 files available

Alleged: Natalie Rodriguez

Upcoming Court Dates:
» Thursday, Oct 16, 2008: pre-indictment hearing

The woman charged with flinging her two kittens out of a third-floor apartment window broke down in tears and apologized during an interview on Friday.

�My actions were wrong. They were horribly wrong,� Natalie Rodriguez, 20, said in a telephone interview.

Rodriguez, who was released from police custody Thursday and arraigned Friday in Paterson Municipal Court on animal cruelty charges, described herself as an animal lover who mistakenly took out her grief and frustration on her two small animals. She said she was overwhelmed by the grave illnesses of close family members and pledged to seek mental health counseling to help her deal with her emotions.

The kitten-tossing occurred after a spat with a friend on Thursday morning. Rodriguez said she grabbed her two kittens and threw them out the window of the Walnut Street apartment where she was staying. She said a friend gave her the kittens about three weeks ago.

One of the kittens, a gray tabby with white paws named Midnight, died overnight from her injuries, said John DeCando, Paterson�s chief animal control officer. The other kitten, a male named Shadow, was placed in the custody of S.T.A.R.T. II, an animal welfare agency and shelter in Elmwood Park, DeCando said. The kitten�s caregivers called his prognosis mixed.

�Right now, I couldn�t say if he�ll live,� said Marge Kane, director of S.T.A.R.T. II. �It is give-and-take.�

Kane said neither kitten appeared to be well cared for. �They were loaded with worms, loaded with fleas,� she said.

Should he survive the weekend, Shadow will return to the Blue Cross Dog and Cat Hospital on McLean Boulevard in Paterson and undergo more examinations and X-rays, DeCando said.

At her arraignment, Rodriguez�s criminal complaint was sent to state Superior Court in Paterson. She is scheduled to appear Oct. 16 for a pre-indictment hearing, municipal court officials said.

Rodriguez said she will accept whatever punishment the judge rules.

�Whatever I have to face,� she said, �that�s the consequences I have to face.�

One of the animal cruelty charges was upgraded to a fourth-degree indictable offense, court officials said, which is punishable by up to 18 months in jail. However, convictions on fourth-degree charges typically do not result in jail sentences.

Rodriguez said she has quietly suffered from mounting personal pressure. She said her 10-year-old brother has been hospitalized with viral meningitis, while two of her grandparents are deathly ill with cancer. Her relationship with a close friend has been in tatters in recent weeks. Their fight on Thursday morning sent her to the brink, Rodriguez said.

�My mind went blank and I just spazzed out,� she said. Impulsively, she tossed her kittens.

With a load of dirty clothes in hand, she stormed out of the house and went to a nearby Laundromat.

As she passed the kittens lying on the sidewalk, Rodriguez said she burst into tears.

She had already washed her clothes and stuck them in the dryer by the time the police came. They asked her where she lived. She told them. They placed her in handcuffs.

Rodriguez was released from police custody about 3 p.m. But while she sat in police custody, Rodriguez said she reflected upon what drove her to harm her kittens.

�I felt I was becoming someone that I don�t want to become,� Rodriguez said. �I felt I was becoming a monster.�

She vowed to seek counseling next week. Meanwhile, all she has is regret.

�If I could turn back the hands of time,� Rodriguez said, �I wouldn�t put my hands on those cats. I really wouldn�t.�

References

• The Record - Sept 6, 2008

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