By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County announced that on Tuesday, September 9, Edwin Sanabia, 26, from Atlantic City, was indicted by an Atlantic County Grand Jury on multiple counts of animal cruelty stemming from a case whereby it is alleged that he tortured, beat, and killed stray cats in his neighborhood.
ACPO officials say that, acting on information received from citizens in the city, an Atlantic City Police Department Officer, who is also a trained Humane Law Enforcement Officer, investigated reports of the cruel torture and killing of cats by Sanabia in his Atlantic City neighborhood.
The Officer’s investigation revealed that Sanabia would lure the abandoned and stray cats in his neighborhood into his residence with food, according to Atlantic County officials.
Atlantic County officials stated the investigation additionally revealed that Sanabia would then torture, beat, and kill the cats. He disposed of the cats by throwing their bodies into a nearby dumpster.
Sanabia is also charged with other acts of animal cruelty by allegedly punching, hitting, and dragging other cats by their tails, ACPO authorities said.
Additionally, Atlantic County officials say he is charged with allegedly beating several cats with sticks while they were hiding in a makeshift shelter on a neighbor’s property.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office encourages its residents to report animal abuse and neglect to their local police departments.