BROOKVILLE — A Corsica man is facing a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty after it was discovered he allegedly drowned a kitten.
Punxsutawney-based state police filed charges against Byron Henry Kifer, 38, who is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals –causing serious bodily injury or death, and two counts of cruelty to animals.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, police were called to a Corsica home for a report of a kitten being drowned. When officers arrived, they observed a dead kitten next to a shed on the property. The kitten was cold and wet.
Police interviewed a witness who said she was over at the neighbor’s for a fire. She reported they heard meowing coming towards them and a kitten came toward the fire. They heard more meowing and figured out it was coming from the bucket near the shed.
When the witnesses opened the bucket, they allegedly found one dead kitten and a live one. The lid was on the bucket but not secure. The witness took the live kittens home with her. She was in contact with Stray Cat Central, and said they were supposed to pick up the kittens.
Another witness was interviewed by police, who said he saw the dead kitten in a bucket of water near the shed as well. He also reported seeing a live kitten in the bucket also.
Police spoke with Kifer who said the kittens are strays and have no mother. He allegedly told police he thought it was more humane to drown them than to let them starve. He admitted to placing one kitten in the bucket to drown the day before, according to the affidavit of probable cause. He then placed the second kitten in the bucket that day. He said he didn’t know where that kitten went, and he showed police the bucket and dead kitten.
Kifer has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 8, 2023 with Magisterial District Judge Gregory Bazylak.