Man kills chihuahua by throwing 18-month-old child at it, Pennsylvania cops say
A Pennsylvania man is accused of killing a dog by throwing an 18-month-old child at it, according to police.
Officers responded to Evergreen Manors, an apartment complex on Altoona’s south side, at about 11 p.m. on May 25 after receiving a call about a man hitting and abusing a child, the Altoona Police Department said in a May 28 news release.
A witness told investigators they had just parked their vehicle when they noticed a man, later identified as 34-year-old Bryan Morales Gracia, “repeatedly striking” a toddler inside one of the apartments. The blinds were open and the witness could see clearly into the unit, police said.
After hitting the child, Morales Gracia is accused of forcefully throwing them into a portable crib, according to police.
Morales Gracia threw the child so hard that he fatally injured a pet chihuahua inside the crib, police said.
Investigators learned the child and chihuahua were frequently put into the crib together.
Officers also noted signs of injury and abuse to the child.
“There were red marks on its cheeks, back, and forehead as well as what also appeared to be two partial fingerprint marks on its forehead,” police said, adding that the toddler was taken to a hospital for treatment.
When speaking with police, Morales Gracia is accused of saying the toddler sometimes hits the dog, so he then hits the child as corrective punishment, the Altoona Mirror reported. He said he didn’t throw the toddler at the dog, but accidentally placed them on top of it, according to police, and tried to revive the animal once he discovered what happened.
Morales Gracia was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, cruelty to animals, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault and harassment, according to police.
Altoona is a roughly 100-mile drive east of Pittsburgh.
This story was originally published May 29, 2024 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Man kills chihuahua by throwing 18-month-old child at it, Pennsylvania cops say."