A babysitter accused of killing a Wisconsin family’s dog appeared in a Waukesha County Courtroom Wednesday. 18-year-old Kielee Sonnemann waived her preliminary hearing, meaning the entire court appearance lasted just a few minutes.
Kielee Sonnemann is charged with mistreatment of animals with the use of a dangerous weapon. (Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department)
Prosecutors say Sonnemann, a high school senior, stabbed a chihuahua with a pair of scissors and put a bag over its head. The dog, named Batman, was found the next day in a child’s room hidden under a pile of blankets. She’s charged with mistreating an animal, causing death.
Sonnemann was babysitting the family’s 4-year-old daughter at the time. Prosecutors say when the child’s parents returned home, they couldn’t find Batman anywhere, and that Sonnemann helped look for the dog.
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During an interview with law enforcement officials, Sonnemann did not admit to killing the dog, but says she “shooed him away a little bit,” and “when she gets mad and lashes out, everything goes blank and she does not remember,” according to a criminal complaint.
Sonnemann does not have a prior criminal history. She’s due back in court on Friday, February 9th.
If convicted, Sonnemann faces up to four years in prison.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Milwaukee, an E.W. Scripps Company.
