May 19, 2015 1:19 pm • By Paul Hampel
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Josephine E. Bell, of Godfrey, was charged in Madison County Circuit Court with punishing her grandchildren by killing their pet cats.
Enlarge Photo
GODFREY • A grandmother is accused of exacting brutal retribution when her grandchildren failed to clean their rooms — she killed their cat and four kittens, Madison County police said.
Josephine E. Bell, 71, of the 5000 Block of West Victor Drive, was charged on Tuesday in Madison County Circuit Court with aggravated cruelty to animals.
Police said they went to Bell’s home Monday evening in reference to an animal cruelty complaint.
Officers met with a teenager who lives there and said she found her dead cat in the family’s freezer.
As a Madison County sheriff’s deputy spoke with the teen, Bell — the girl’s grandmother — interrupted, telling the officer that she had killed the cat and the animal’s four kittens.
“Bell told the deputy that she previously had told her grandchildren that if they didn’t clean their rooms they were going to lose all their animals,” according to a police statement.
“Bell told the deputy that she didn’t feel like she should have to take care of the cats and had killed them with a hammer.”
The kittens were reportedly thrown away and could not be found.
A Godfrey animal control officer took custody of the cat found in the freezer.
Bell was being held Tuesday in the Madison County jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
36
Josephine E. Bell, of Godfrey, was charged in Madison County Circuit Court with punishing her grandchildren by killing their pet cats.
Enlarge Photo
GODFREY • A grandmother is accused of exacting brutal retribution when her grandchildren failed to clean their rooms — she killed their cat and four kittens, Madison County police said.
Josephine E. Bell, 71, of the 5000 Block of West Victor Drive, was charged on Tuesday in Madison County Circuit Court with aggravated cruelty to animals.
Police said they went to Bell’s home Monday evening in reference to an animal cruelty complaint.
Officers met with a teenager who lives there and said she found her dead cat in the family’s freezer.
As a Madison County sheriff’s deputy spoke with the teen, Bell — the girl’s grandmother — interrupted, telling the officer that she had killed the cat and the animal’s four kittens.
“Bell told the deputy that she previously had told her grandchildren that if they didn’t clean their rooms they were going to lose all their animals,” according to a police statement.
“Bell told the deputy that she didn’t feel like she should have to take care of the cats and had killed them with a hammer.”
The kittens were reportedly thrown away and could not be found.
A Godfrey animal control officer took custody of the cat found in the freezer.
Bell was being held Tuesday in the Madison County jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
