SARASOTA, Fla. — A Sarasota County father and daughter were arrested after a video showing them burning a raccoon alive in a dumpster went viral, according to the sheriff's office.
"It's obviously a heinous case," Sarasota Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said at a news conference on Friday.
Hoffman said the Snapchat video was taken by 30-year-old Alicia Kincheloe on Aug. 11 and investigators have been working diligently since then to track down evidence.
The video shows a small raccoon sitting in a dumpster as Kincheloe explains that it has been "trying to attack people." According to the sheriff's office, the animal was not showing any signs of aggression.
Hoffman said the woman's father, 63-year-old Roddy Kincheloe, stabbed the animal with a pitchfork and left it to die while they went to lunch. When they returned to find the raccoon still alive, they doused it with a flammable liquid and lit it on fire, according to the sheriff.
In the video, Alicia shows the charred remains of the animal as she says, "we just toasted his a**, who's hungry?"
Hoffman explained that Alicia disposed of the animal's body off camera, which is considered tampering of evidence.
"This is obviously just a sick, terrible thing to do. It is a third-degree felony, aggravated animal cruelty, punishable by five years in prison," the sheriff said. "We just think this is a cruel, inhumane thing to do."
Both Alicia and Roddy were arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty. Alicia faces an additional charge of tampering with physical evidence.
You can watch the full news conference below.
