CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Egregious and cold-hearted -- that's how the national group, "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA, is describing a Clay County case of animal cruelty.
Investigators charged 11-year-old Dillon Noyer with felony animal cruelty after they said he admitted to killing his family's rescue dog and burying it without saying a word for three weeks.
Typically, News4Jax does not report the names of minors or use their photos, but because of the severity of the charge he's facing, the Clay County Sheriff's Office is making it public.
The police report outlines some incredibly callous behavior by Noyer. His mom said there were never any signs that her son would or could something like this but said he did admit to stabbing her rescue dog Jade and then burying her in the backyard.
"Everybody's been kind of on me about, 'How dare you report your son. How dare you do this,'" said Kimberly Noyer, the boy's mother. "Once they found out, the state took over and honestly, I don't want to see him go any further. He needs to get help and he is. We are getting counseling and he is getting anger management and doing psych evaluations."
Kimberly Noyer told News4Jax she runs a rescue out of her home and that her son kept quiet about the killing for three weeks. He only confessed after she confronted him after the family's other pets started to dig up Jade's shallow grave.
PETA is now using this case as a call to action for others to teach empathy and compassion for animals in schools.
"If a child can possibly kill his family's companion and not recognize the immense fear and hurting this animal surely felt, that is cause for serious concern," said Nina Kahn, with PETA. "Countless studies show that people who abuse animals will rarely stop at that. But by promoting kindness to animals through humane education, schools can have a chance to reach kids before they commit an act of violence on any living being."
The 11-year-old is now being held at the Duval Juvenile Detention Center. He'll be in court Wednesday morning for his first appearance.
Kimberly Noyer said she's passionate about her rescue work and animals and will not let what's going on with her son deter her from doing something she gets so much joy and satisfaction out of.