Woman faces charges for abandoning cats in Walmart parking lot, killing kitten

SOUTHINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Police arrested a resident of New Britain in connection with an incident involving the abandonment of two cats in a Walmart parking lot.

Ana Rodriguez has been charged with two county of cruelty to animals after authorities found a dead kitten and an injured adult cat in the parking lot April 15.

Witnesses reported seeing a woman, later identified as Rodriguez, drop off the cats from her car before running over the kitten as she drove away.

The injured adult cat suffered a compound fracture to its hind leg, necessitating an amputation, while the kitten was determined to have died from being run over by Rodriguez, according to veterinary examinations.

Surveillance footage captured from the area showed Rodriguez reaching down and appearing to pick up and throw the kitten a short distance away from the vehicle, after it followed her back to the vehicle.

After closing the door, she makes several slow attempts to drive away, stopping to check the kittens location, before moving forward again and running the kitten over, then slowly drives away.

She initially denied responsibility but later admitted to leaving the animals in the parking lot with no food, water, or shelter. She denied running the kitten over

Following her arrest on May 3, Rodriguez was released on a $2,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Court on May 20.

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