LOWELL, Mass. – A 30-year-old woman, Kimberly Hernandez, was brought before a judge after being caught on camera committing an act of animal cruelty. She admitted to kicking her dog multiple times and throwing it into an apartment on Westford Street. The footage, discovered by a property manager after a nearby car crash, revealed the heinous act that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Cameras installed throughout the apartment building captured the reprehensible behavior, prompting an investigation that led to Hernandez facing two counts of animal cruelty.
The disturbing video, too distressing to be aired in full by NBC10 Boston, depicts the woman subjecting her dog, named Rex, to physical abuse. Witnesses and neighbors expressed their horror and disbelief. During the court appearance, Hernandez admitted to the charges and informed the judge that she would be hiring her own attorney. According to police reports, she confessed to abusing Rex while under the influence of alcohol, allegedly in response to the dog ruining some papers in her car. In addition to a bail requirement, the judge ordered Hernandez to have no unsupervised contact with animals and to surrender all pets, including Rex, who is now in the custody of animal control.
Despite some residents expressing relief at the measures taken by the court, there remains a sense of dissatisfaction. Kimberly Hernandez is scheduled to appear in court again next month.