Hard to imagine anyone hurting helpless little kittens. But four of them were nearly frozen to death.
"I couldn't even talk. I was hysterical when I was calling 911. It freaked me out really bad. I'm still freaked out," Eve Mulder says.
Mulder found them inside her neighbor's freezer, at the Vagabond Mobile Home Park. Deputies say 39-year old Rodney Blanchard stuffed the kittens into individual plastic sandwich bags, then shoved them into his freezer and left them to die.
One of them did.
The other three might have died too, if not for Mulder. Blanchard asked her to grab him a beer from the freezer, but when she opened the door, she didn't find any beer.
"I kept hearing meowing and I looked at Rodney and he goes, 'hypothermia doesn't take that long to kick in.' and I was like 'Rodney! What did you do?' and then I ran for the freezer to get the kittens out because I knew that's what was in the ziplock bags. It wasn't steak," Mulder said.
If she hadn't seen them, investigators say the kittens wouldn't have made it much longer.
"I would probably say no more than ten minutes. Being in the plastic bag, it probably was protected a little bit more and that's probably why they had more of a chance of surviving." says Jill Purl of SPCA Tampa Bay.
Investigators say the kittens belonged to Blanchard's roommate, Francis Bahr, who wasn't around to take care of them. Bahr was arrested and charged with attempted murder the day before for shooting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend at the Sunshine Mobile Home Park across the street.
In a twisted turn of events, Blanchard's son, Damian, was just arrested too. He is also charged with attempted murder for his involvement in the double shooting. Authorities say Rodney Blanchard and Bahr were roommates, and Blanchard's son was staying with them.
"It's been a really rough weekend with his roommate being in the shootings and all. It's just been a really rough weekend over here," Mulder said.
The three surviving kittens are expected to make a full recovery. They should be available for adoption just in time for Christmas.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:08 PM EDT2013-05-23 02:08:29 GMT
A bus chaperone is accused of going on a profanity-laced tirade towards a group of 12 and 13-year-olds and a piece of candy may be what started the incident.
A bus chaperone is accused of going on a profanity-laced tirade towards a group of 12 and 13-year-olds and a piece of candy may be what started the incident.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 9:46 PM EDT2013-05-23 01:46:23 GMT
The New York City Police Department says it is beefing up security at the British consulate, military recruiting stations and other locations due to an apparent terror attack in London.
The New York City Police Department says it is beefing up security at the British consulate, military recruiting stations and other locations due to an apparent terror attack in London.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 7:44 PM EDT2013-05-22 23:44:14 GMT
New Jersey officials have seized inventory and demanded records from 29 bars and restaurants, nearly half of them TGI Fridays, that they say sold low-quality liquor to patrons who thought they were buying premium brands.
New Jersey officials have seized inventory and demanded records from 29 bars and restaurants, nearly half of them TGI Fridays, that they say sold low-quality liquor to patrons who thought they were buying premium brands.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 6:29 PM EDT2013-05-22 22:29:45 GMT
Authorities say two New York City men and a New Jersey man kidnapped another man off a Queens street in broad daylight and held him for over a month, demanding $3 million from his family.
Authorities say two New York City men and a New Jersey man kidnapped another man off a Queens street in broad daylight and held him for over a month, demanding $3 million from his family.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 6:15 PM EDT2013-05-22 22:15:21 GMT
An Army soldier has been charged with secretly photographing and videotaping women at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, including in a bathroom.
An Army soldier has been charged with secretly photographing and videotaping women at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, including in a bathroom.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 1:00 PM EDT2013-05-22 17:00:29 GMT
An emotional funeral service has been held for a Hofstra University student who was accidentally shot by police.
An emotional funeral service has been held for a Hofstra University student who was accidentally shot by police. Andrea Rebello's family followed the pastor Wednesday as he led her white cloth-draped coffin to the altar at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 12:55 PM EDT2013-05-22 16:55:01 GMT
Jersey shore town is celebrating a milestone as it rebuilds from Superstorm Sandy. Belmar officials will reopen their 1.3-mile boardwalk that was destroyed by the October storm.
Jersey shore town is celebrating a milestone as it rebuilds from Superstorm Sandy. Belmar officials will reopen their 1.3-mile boardwalk that was destroyed by the October storm.
Photo courtesy PCSO.
