A horrifying incident occurred last Sunday (October 13) in Paraná, Brazil, when a veterinarian found 23 of his animals murdered at the hands of a 9-year-old child.
Security cameras captured the shocking moment when the kid invaded the hospital's backyard, where dogs and rabbits were staying inside wooden shelters, and brutally attacked them.
Highlights
- A 9-year-old in Brazil killed 23 animals at a veterinary hospital, shocking the town of Nova Fátima.
- The child, caught on security cameras, had no prior record of violent behavior but left the town in disbelief.
- Brazilian law does not criminally charge children under 12, complicating legal responses to the case.
- Childhood animal cruelty may predict future violence, highlighting potential links to psychopathy.
Head Veterinarian Brenda Rocha believed the child had entered the premises to play with the animals, but his erratic behavior alerted her. When she arrived at the hospital, she found 20 rabbits torn apart and three guinea pigs dead.
Authorities have stated that the kid, who lived with his grandmother, had no prior record of violent behavior, but they refused to reveal his name to protect him from retribution.
"Let his name be known. Anyway, in nine years, his bill will be due, and many people will never forget what he did," wrote one viewer.
A 9-year-old child murdered 23 animals with his bare hands after breaking into a veterinary hospital in Brazil, leaving the town in shock
Image credits: HerreraNews1
"We're having trouble sleeping," Rocha added in an interview, admitting to dealing with people attacking them for being "irresponsible" and failing to protect the animals. "I'm shocked at the people blaming us for this incident."
Another one of the hospital's veterinarians, Lúcio Barreto, confessed to being "devastated" by the news, as he had deeply loved and cared for each animal for many years.
"It was a horrific scene. I feel a deep sense of helplessness," he added. "We care for these animals with such dedication, and to suddenly face something as gruesome as this leaves us heartbroken."
Image credits: Aswathy N / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
According to Brazilian Law, the 9-year-old is still too young to be sent to a correctional institution, as the law only applies to children 12 and up. Brazil's Child Protective Services (Conselho Tutelar) is expected to fine the culprit's family for damages and ensure he undergoes psychological rehabilitation.
"I hope he gets all the help he needs," Rocha stated, expressing empathy for the child despite his horrific actions.
Paraná residents have been calling for the kid to be incarcerated. However, Brazilian law does not hold 9-year-old children criminally accountable
Image credits: cnnbrasil
The news shocked and disgusted the town of Nova Fátima, with comments ranging from wishing revenge on the child despite his age and demanding harsh sanctions against his guardians.
One commenter stated, "If this kid is capable of something like this now, I can't imagine how he'll be in the future."
"This kid is a child psychopath. He needs to be kept behind bars because he will be worse as an adult," another argued.
Local authorities have yet to reveal the type and extent of the measures to be taken against the culprit, as investigations surrounding the case are still underway. "Since the perpetrator is a 9-year-old child, there are no direct criminal implications," the state's civil police stated.
Experts have stated a correlation between child abuse and animal cruelty, suggesting kids may use pets as "practice" for actions they wish to inflict on humans
Image credits: cnnbrasil
A study by the University of Edinburgh revealed that Childhood Animal Cruelty (CAC) is a strong indicator of future interpersonal violence and a predictor of criminal behavior in adulthood.
The research, conducted in collaboration with Animal Guardians, a Scottish educational program aimed at kids who have been cruel to animals, showed that such behavior was often the result of troubled backgrounds where violence is normalized.
"Kids who come from vulnerable backgrounds, who have been subjected to violence or cruel behaviors, often have trouble regulating their emotions," the paper explained, adding that most interviewees came from fatherless homes and had a median age of 8.5 years old.
Image credits: cnnbrasil
The study concluded that children who have been cruel to animals did not do so out of hatred for their pets but because they "interpreted animals as less threatening, and possibly as 'safer' targets on which to rehearse behaviors they would otherwise enact on humans."
In other words, the pets' harmless nature and trust in their owners made them the perfect scapegoats for the abused child, who saw them as an outlet for their suffering.
Researchers believe that psychopathy is an incurable developmental condition and that children are not immune to it
Image credits: cnnbrasil
Psychopathy, as described by the American Psychological Association, is a mental health disorder characterized by an impaired ability to experience remorse and empathy.
While researchers have debated the nature of the phenomenon, a large number of studies point toward it being a neurodevelopmental condition akin to autism and schizophrenia.
"Psychopathy follows a developmental trajectory with strong genetic influences, and which precipitates deleterious effects on widespread functional networks, particularly within paralimbic regions of the brain," stated a 2015 study published by the University of New México.
"There is no cure for psychopathy," explained Dr. Kent Kiehl in an article for Yale University, who discovered that psychopaths had reduced brain matter in the paralympic system of their brains in 2012.
Image credits: mits hak / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Children are thus not immune to suffering from psychopathy, exhibiting traits such as callousness, impulsivity, deceitfulness, and antisocial behavior, which can evolve into a life of crime later on.
However, researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain believe that recognizing these traits early and providing proper care can help the child control their behavioral symptoms.
"Parenting practices based on warmth and affection emerged as environmental mechanisms able to prompt changes in psychopathic traits across development," explained Dr. Laura López-Romero in a 2021 study.
"Environmental factors in general, and parenting practices in particular, can either enhance or hinder the development of psychopathy in children."
Brazilian netizens took to social media to express their support for the veterinarians and call for justice against the kid and his family
Image credits: Katelyn Greer / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
"Don't give up. You have the support of many people. Your veterinary is a beautiful project," one reader wrote.
Another said, "I hope God gives you the peace and strength to move forward."
"This child is a psychopath. There is no cure or resocialization for these cases," one reader argued. "There's nothing you could've done to prevent it."
"The security at the veterinary is a joke. You kept the animals on the patio!? No wonder the 9-year-old was able to break in so easily," another replied.
Following the overwhelming grief caused by the incident, Brenda and Lúcio decided to temporarily close the veterinary hospital to mourn and figure out how to move forward.
"Every psychopath was once a child." Netizens took to social media to share their shock over the gruesome incident
