WEST JORDAN — A West Jordan man is facing a criminal charge accusing him of punching a kitten, causing severe enough injuries that required the animal to be euthanized.
Edgar Eduardo Soto, 25, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony.
On Oct. 7, Soto claimed he had accidentally hurt his girlfriend’s cat while bathing it, according to charging documents. When officers went to the local shelter to check on the kitten, they found “the kitten was unable to walk and was turning its head inward like it was trying to curl up in a ball. The kitten was also breathing fast and its paws were cold to the touch.”
The kitten — a long-haired feline named “Marge” — was taken to a veterinarian clinic, where euthanasia was recommended due to the extent of head and possible spinal injuries, the charges state.
Several days later, police interviewed Soto again, when he “admitted to putting a blanket over the kitten and striking her three or four times with his fist,” the charges allege.
