Witness "Chris" said a kitten was drowned beside a cup of water and another was inside it.LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
The teens accused of killing two kittens will remain in jail for now, a judge decided Friday morning. The teens, both 16, were arrested Wednesday for the recent killings of two felines near Cheyenne Avenue and Cimarron Road.
The judge decided the two will not be released until receiving mental evaluations.
Police said the teens are in a juvenile detention facility where they face charges of animal cruelty, a felony, plus recommended charges of conspiracy. However, it is unknown if the teens will be charged as adults or juveniles. Any punishment meted out if the teens are charged as juveniles would be much less severe.
A neighbor claimed the teens drowned the two kittens. She took pictures of the dead kittens and the accused teens, walking away from the scene.
If prosecuted, it could be a landmark case - the first under Cooney's Law, which was passed one year ago. The law makes the killing of animals such as dogs and cats a felony in Nevada.
Before Cooney's Law was passed, a person could be convicted of animal cruelty three times in seven years before it was considered a felony.
Copyright 2012 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.
