'Dexter', The Abused Kitten Dies

There is sad news to report about Dexter, the kitten that survived a vicious beating with a baseball bat at a Florida park in June. The sixteen week old kitten was euthanized Monday following a series of uncontrollable seizures.

Last month it was reported that Dexter was well enough to leave the PetLuv clinic where he was being treated for severe head trauma and be adopted by vet-tech Tiffany Sroka. The tech had fostered Dexter in her home every evening during his recovery and brought him back for care at the clinic each morning.

Sroka also diligently kept Dexter’s 3,000 Facebook fans informed about his progress with updates and videos.

Cathy Fitzgerald, manager of PetLuv, told Tampa Bay Online that Dexter’s recovery has been an “emotional rollercoaster” for her and the other staff members who watched the little kitten start to get well and then take a turn for the worst.

Last weekend Sroka noticed the seizures that Dexter had been having since his attack were becoming more frequent and severe, so she brought him to the clinic.

The kitten and his sibling were allegedly beaten with an aluminum baseball bat and doused with water by Wilana Joenel Frazier and her two young sons (5 and 8). Frazier was reportedly angry with her children for playing with the stray kittens because she thought they might carry a disease.

Dexter’s littermate died at the scene, but Dexter was rescued by one of four boys who witnessed the abuse at a neighborhood park.

Veterinarians tried to control Dexter’s seizures with various medications during the weekend, but by Monday they realized the humane course of action would be to euthanize the kitten.

“You could tell he was in pain. He was so scared,” Fitzgerald told Tampa Bay.com. “I’m heartbroken.”

“This is all very new and it’s still hard to talk about,” Fitzgerald said. “At the same time, Dexter touched more than 3,000 people’s hearts and brought attention to the topic of animal cruelty.”

Frazier was charged in June with animal cruelty and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Her next court date is September 2.

Sroka wrote a final installment on Dexter’s Facebook page. “Dexter helped to show me strength and love despite what life may throw at you. If one person is changed by this or helped by this then it was all worth it. I would like to leave everyone with a sense of the love that we shared as a family and one that I would never forget.”

Take Action: Please sign Dexter’s petition below to see that justice is served to his abuser.

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Photo from petluv via flickr.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Ann R.

10:39AM PDT on Jun 18, 2013

Thank gods, this woman is punished! RIP poor kittens.

June 18
send a green star

Pamela W.

6:11AM PDT on Jun 18, 2013

Sorry ...... it was longer than I thought ...... continued ..

"She also must undergo a mental health evaluation and take part in parenting and anger-management classes."

N.B. She is, therefore, due for release in the very near future !!

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/kittens-beaten-by-woman-and-her-kids.html#ixzz2WZaTDV2h

6:08AM PDT on Jun 18, 2013

There have been 2 articles regarding this - I had posted the outcome on the other thread on 6th June ..... http://www.care2.com/causes/kittens-beaten-by-woman-and-her-kids.html ...... her is a copy of that post ........
"To save people from going back through the previous comments, to find the details of the outcome of the case against Frazier, I've cut/pasted my comment from March 13, 2013 ......"

"Apologies for the confusion about the court dates (article dated today but referred to the case on 11th July 2012).
Sentencing was on 2nd August 2012 and was as follows (quote Tampa Bay Times) .......................... the judge sentenced Frazier to a year in the county jail, followed by five years of probation. The sentence likely means that Frazier, who is expecting a fifth child, will deliver the baby while in custody. Frazier cried when she was convicted last month, but showed little emotion Thursday. A few of the people who had attended every hearing to see justice for Dexter did not celebrate overtly. Calling the 25-year-old Brooksville resident's crime "abhorrent," Merritt also ruled that Frazier will not be allowed to have a pet or live with someone who does. "Not even so much as a pet rock," he said. Frazier must serve 100 hours of community service, preferably cleaning kennels and doing other work for an organization such as the Humane Society, if such a group will have her, Merritt said. She also must undergo a mental health evaluation and take part in parenting

Cindi S.

5:52AM PDT on Jun 18, 2013

Tears for Dexter, and for Tiffany. Would love an update and to know that the monster who did this got the proper punishment. Can someone find out?

Anne L.

1:07AM PDT on Jun 18, 2013

so sad

Duane B.

5:50AM PDT on Jun 17, 2013

Thank you for sharing.

June 17
send a green star

Ce'Mone A.

9:05PM PDT on Jun 15, 2013

Send that two face whore to jail and her sons to a better home!!

Our children do not need to learn this bullshit!!!

June 15
send a green star

codruta O.

11:59AM PDT on Jun 15, 2013

That is a sick and evil person who needs to be punished, take her kids away and put her in jail.
And, like someone of you said: sterilize her so she will never bring to life criminals like her!!!
Laws about abusing animals should be much more drastic than they are!

Adrea C.

10:39PM PDT on Jun 14, 2013

Spay this female so she doesn't breed anymore hate mongering spawn. Sterilize her children so they don't contaminate the gene pool further with their obvious sociopathic behavior.