SALINAS, Calif- New information on a 12-year-old boy accused of killing a dog because he wanted to see it die. Salinas Police said the boy who hung the family dog by its collar from a door handle showed no remorse on Friday.
"It's an indication for real problems for a person who would do this, particularly a young person of 12 years old," said Bob Brunson, Behavior Health Services manager for Monterey County.
Brunson said while this one incident alone doesn't mean the 12-year-old will become a serial killer, it is a sign of those tendencies.
"A lot of times they start off with animals, sometimes there is this lack of remorse and they go on to people," he said.
Monterey County Chief Probation Officer Manuel Real said the juvenile court system focuses more on treatment and rehabilitation than the adult court does.
Real said juveniles typically face far less time than adults do, even for crimes as serious as felony animal cruelty.
"Once there's a conviction then you're looking at a much longer time in custody than you would a 12-year-old whose brain is not fully developed and they don't have the same amount of levels of accountability as you do an adult," he said.
Experts said in this case the good news is there is still time to help.
"The bad thing is here is a kid whose only 12 exhibiting some significant, serious behaviors. The good thing is that he still can be treated," Brunson said.
The boy is expected to go before a juvenile judge in the next few days.
