An Ohio man was arrested after he allegedly slaughtered a puppy inside a home where two children screamed in horror, police said.
Erie County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the residence over reports of an “onslaught of screaming from family members” as a result of the gruesome massacre.
An “extremely distraught” girl told deputies that her mother’s boyfriend, 45-year-old Jimmy Wiggins Jr., had beaten their puppy to death with a hammer.
While police did not find Wiggins, they located a bloody hammer in the bathroom along with a bottle of peroxide that the suspect allegedly used to wash his hands.
The children told deputies that they saw their deceased dog in the bathroom and heard Wiggins beating the screaming animal.
Deputies located Wiggins, who had jumped into a river as they approached him. He and the children’s mother were taken into custody.
Police said 45-year-old Gretchen Howard was caught earlier in the day in possession of a crystallized substance during a traffic stop.
