MUNCIE, Ind. - A man was jailed Thursday on charges he forced his 7-year-old daughter to kill the family cat by holding a knife in her hand and making her stab the pet.

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Danield J. Collins, 39, told his children during a visit to his home on Sunday that he wanted them to "learn how to kill" and gave his 11-year-old son a knife to do it, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

The boy tried to save the cat by hiding it under a sofa bed and putting ketchup on a knife when Collins went to the bathroom. But when the father realized the cat was not dead, he forced his daughter to hold the knife and then held her hand tightly as he drove the knife into the animal, Muncie police Detective Jami Brown said.

Police said Collins stabbed and strangled the cat himself, and told his son to throw the dead pet in the trash. Officers retrieved the carcass to be used as evidence.

The children told family members on Monday, the day after the alleged killing, according to the affidavit. The children told police their father was drunk when they arrived at his home and that he's a different person when he's drunk, it said. The siblings live with their grandparents.

Collins was being held in the Delaware County Jail on $40,000 bond. He's charged with one count each of animal cruelty and battery and two counts of neglect of a dependent. The battery charge alleges the girl was injured because Collins held her hand so hard that her hand ached.

The jail had no record of an attorney representing Collins and there were no published phone listings for him in Muncie.

Muncie police Detective Jami Brown said the case was particularly troubling because Collins involved his children in killing the cat, an 8-month-old tuxedo type-cat named Boots.

"I've been doing investigations for 10 years and this is really bothering me," the detective said.

What is wrong with some ppl. My dad used to abuse and torture our pets but thankfully never made me do it myself...just watch.

I strongly believe if you can hurt an animal then there is nothing that will stop you from hurting a human.
This man needs serious help..now his daughter does as well.

How sad.

OMG!!!

I listened to my daughter's father say he has a cat trap in his backyard.

I told him that if he kept speaking like that, I would have to rethink his visitation.

Fury said:

that is just horrible. absolutely horrible.

Motherfucker..... I'll be back later people....gotta get to Muncie for an "errand"

Can't type for shit edit!
[Edited 3/14/08 13:00pm]

I despise people who harm animals, let alone emotionally damage children on top on that.

And people wonder why I'm kind of a misanthrope. I'm pretty unshockable, but that's just fucking sick. My head's filled with really unsavory imagew right now.

shanti0608 said:

I read somewhere that many abusive people start out with torturing/abusing animals/pets then move on to humans.

This is so sad.

Indiana

horatio said:

Oh Damn!!!

Sowhat said:

It sure is

Heartbreaking .

Someone needs to do that very thing to this guy. See how he likes it.

Damn!

shanti0608 said:

Wow. I'm so sorry.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Poor kids, they tried to do the right thing too.

The "fake death" with ketchup was initially a smart plan by the 11 year old.....unfortunately the cat wasn't well hidden.

Sweeny79 said:

Co-sign!

See? Humans suck.

meow85 said:

"...not all of 'em, just the greedy, the ones that don't know how to give..."

that poor cat..... I hate motherfuckin' mutts like that man. Sorry ass excuse for a human being...what a waste of bones and skin.....

missfee said:

Wasted sperm.

gemini13 said:

isn't a cat trap a little cage for catching strays? (these can be humane)