Girl Finds Dog's Head In Gift-Wrapped Box

Her Dog Had Been Missing For Weeks; Homicide Investigators Probe "Implied" Threat

(AP)  A 17-year-old Minnesota girl who spent weeks looking for her missing dog was horrified when she unwrapped a box left on her doorstep and found the dog's severed head inside.

Homicide investigators were looking into the case because of the "implied" terroristic threat, St. Paul Police Sgt. Jim Gray said. The Humane Society of the United States said Wednesday that it was offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

"This was extraordinarily heinous," said Dale Bartlett, the Humane Society's deputy manager for animal cruelty issues. "I deal with hundreds and hundreds of cruelty cases each year. When I read about this case, it took my breath away. It's horrible."

"That level of depravity is beyond belief," Bartlett said.

After Crystal Brown's 4-year-old Australian shepherd mix wandered away last month, she peppered the neighborhood with "missing" posters, and went door to door looking for him. She called the St. Paul animal shelter and rode the bus there several times.

"I felt empty," Crystal said. "I couldn't talk to anyone. He was my dog. It was just me and him. ... I told him everything and he never shared any of my secrets."

Two weeks ago, a gift-wrapped box was left at the house Crystal shares with her grandmother. The box had batteries on top, and a note that said "Congratulations Crystal. This side up. Batteries included."

Crystal opened the box and found her dog's head inside. The box also contained Valentine's Day candy.

Crystal screamed when she saw her dog's face, the Star Tribune reported.

"She was just hysterical," said Crystal's grandmother, Shirley Brown. "She was screaming. She said, 'Grandma, it's my dog's head.'

Authorities say the case is an isolated incident and the suspect likely knew the family. A motive is unclear.

[thenamesdave]

This is the worst story I've seen in years. What can people do to help this girl? She's had a rough life and now THIS?

I hope the Minnesota authorities find this guy... and feed him into a wood chipper.

[klingon69]

Somebody really go into The Godfather!
This is unforgivable. I have had to rescue animals alot, from cars, pipes...etc. This is pure unadulterated evil.

[anopinion1]

anyone else jsut read the article on the 13 year old kid that is charged with 128 felanys...
i wonder if this was her neighbor....

this is crazy. I am really glad is 17 tho and not at a age where this could really scar her. It will still have its effects tho.

[gary-hamm]

this is terrible,

[star2510]

Absoulutly horrifying that anyone shouldhave to go thru that. My dog is my baby, I can feel her pain. Sick sick minds out there...

[rohink-2009]

Dogs in Islam

Traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with dogs. Unfortunately, many Muslims have used this view to justify the abuse and neglect of dogs, even though cruelty contradicts the Qur'an's view that all animals form "communities like you." We are pleased to present several articles examining the place of dogs in Islam.

Very high muslim population in Minnesota. First elected muslim representative in Minnesota. Muslim cab drivers refusing service to people with seeing eye dogs or alcohol in their cabs. Muslim grocery store clerks refusing to handle pork in the check out.
I think there is a problem in Minnesota.

[shamrocker6]

My first guess would be a classmate or neighbor..I'm willing to bet on that. Someone did this to intimidate the girl for some twisted reason, and there is no doubt that they were somewhere nearby watching as she picked-up the package. Whoever this person is, someone had better discover him/her fast...this won't be the last of such sick pranks now that he/she got by with it. In time, these sorts escalate into more sinsister killers...humans will be next, no doubt, this is a fact.

[rudy654-2009]

Whoever did it, is a serious potential threat tot he community. It may be a dog, but knows what else is going on in the mind of the person who did, or what other serious crimes the individual has already committed? I hope they put forth every effort to find the perp.

[txnstuckinca]

There is no method of torture adequate for the SOB who did this - but for that little girl's and her best furry friend's sake's - I hope someone extremely innovative gets hold of HIM.

[randalds]

Nearly every serial killer started out torturing and killing animals. This one need to be caught before he does this again or moves on to humans as he almost certainly will.

[canyoutellme-2009]

Unbelieveable. There are some truly demented people out there. My heart goes out to Crystal. Anyone who believes that dogs and cats don't have souls just don't understand them at all. Dogs and cats can be the most loyal and loving beings in a person's life and can bring so much joy. Unfortunately, just like with humans, they can bring so much pain as well when they're lost. The person that did this needs to die. Most they'll get is a year in jail or something since it was "just a dog"... i personally liken this to MURDER and say he should be put to death as well.

[nyckate]

Level of depravity is right - there are some people who are so inhuman, so barbaric, such animals that they don't deserve to live among human beings but should be locked away for the rest of their natural lives with other animals.

[scott4261]

How could someone be so cruel to a helpless animal and then be so cruel to its owner? I'm sickened by this story!

[misands]

Oh how awful! My heart just breaks looking at that picture of her in tears. I hope they find the evil SOB who did this!

[noaanhc]

This is just absolutely sick!!!! They should changed the law and impose the death penalty on any person for certain types of animal abuse and this sick act of depravity surely ranks as the reason the death penalty should be imposed in certain cases such as this.

[bciss]

Floored. I am just floored by such a horrific act. Sympathy does not begin to describe what I feel for this girl and that poor tortured dog. If there is a reckoning in the end. I hope the person who did this suffers a loss and shock of equal depth. I would also advise this family to think carefully and begin to think of likely suspects. Odds are very slim this was a stranger. The danger to Crystal could be quite real. May God bless and keep you and your new puppy safe Crystal. Do be careful and look out for anything unusual. My heart just breaks for you.

[kpokey]

How completely horrible. I'm really speechless. I can't even imagine how ruined/terrified/angry/depressed I'd be if that were me. That poor girl and poor innocent dog. Your both are in my thoughts.

[koolcuebaby]

Two weeks ago, a gift-wrapped box was left at the house Crystal shares with her grandmother. The box had batteries on top, and a note that said "Congratulations Crystal. This side up. Batteries included."

the fact that this sicko obviously singled out the child herself to get his/her sadistic jollys from signals someone on the edge of bigger things to come...this person needs to be caught & removed from society before they escalate into human subjects...I would say it was someone in the neighborhood...this is a very dangerous & sick person....my heart goes out to Crystal....

[koolcuebaby]

nautiq only another sicko could even think this was a "stupid prank"... was this something you did as a child???...you need help

[rohink-2009]

Blaming this on islamic extremists is the dumbesst thing I have ever heard. My IQ dropped a point after reading that post.
Posted by nautiq

I'm not stupid and does your IQ drop a point with every "stupid post you read? So what is your IQ now? About 64?

We shall see if and when they find this person.

[cathaleen]

The poor girl. There are so many sickos out there. It's probably someone in the neighborhood.

[randalds]

it's a bad bad thing, but not deserving of a life sentence. where do you draw the line???

Posted by nautiq at 01:14 PM : Mar 15, 2007

No, it does not deserve a life sentence in prion. It demands a commitment to a psychiatric hospital until it is determined that he's no longer a danger to himself or others. Study after study after study have shown that most serial killers start out by torturing and killing animals, esp pets of theirs or others. It displays a sociopathic tendency that can not be ignored. Whoever would do this to a helpless pet is only one very very tiny step away from doing it to a child. he is mentally ill and needs to be committed.

[rohink-2009]

I love getting a rise out of people by posting comments that I know will fire em up!!!
Posted by nautiq

Ditto.......................

[randalds]

That's some sick sense of humor you have. BTW I have two lapdogs and one of them is in my lap right now, but I can promise you I'm about as far from a little old lady as you could imagine. I'm a 50 year old man. Good people love dogs of all kinds. To me it's always been a measure of a mans soul if he loves dogs or not and I never trust a man who doesn't.

rohink my IQ drops with every post I write. :-p

[ldjeez]

I cannot imagine who would do such an awful thing not only to the dog,but also what it has done to this girl-that picture of her dog's head in that box will never leave her memory.Even if this person hated the dog,the girl,or both,it sure gives them no right to be so cruel and morbidly disgusting toward a living creature!If they had some sort of problem with the dog ,there are legal ways to handle things for crying out loud-just disgusting-LOCK EM UP when they are found-they've earned it!

[mitywhity]

This proof that there are still complete b-a-s-t-a-r-d-s- in this world!

[koolcuebaby]

nautiq...I am not some little old lady sitting here with a lap dog...I have a Masters Degree in counseling & I'm telling you, ANYONE who would do something like this to a child or find it amusing has some SERIOUS MENTAL ISSUES...I can think of no sane person who would think this was an amusing prank...the person who did this is one step away from branching out into the human population...the most notorious serial kills all started out by killing & dismembering animals...would you like to be on the recieving end of that box???...or have your child on it???...I think not...& the facts speak for themselves...it was sent specifically to a child...enough said...

[ldjeez]

COLDHEARTED ones at that!

[randalds]

Posted by nautiq at 01:57 PM : Mar 15, 2007

TRhis is a Troll. Please do not make the mistake I did and feed this troll. I'm sorry.

Please don't feed the troll. Thank you.

[xenalily]

Thank you, koolcuebaby! There is nothing humorous about this story, and I really can't understand why any of these posts find this story amusing. Anyone who would do this is an extremely sick individual who needs to be off the streets. Anyone who finds this funny is pretty sick too. This poor little girl does not deserve this.

[mulv70]

I agree. Property taxes are out of control in NJ. There is no band aid to fix them. Corzine is a liar like the rest of them.

[rf35]

Fine, give the SOB his trial, then hang him. I cannot imagine any reason that would justify such an atrocity. BTW nautiq, it isn not so much that the perp killed the dog (still deserving of punishment) but that he traumatized this poor girl.

[l8c6]

A depraved sociopath that is receiving the media attention necessary to feed other depraved sociopaths. Fellow sociopaths would find it amusing and it's an intact healthy strong society that is able to set appropriate limits on this behavior. Our society seems to be nurturing socipaths on all levels these days.

[drew30319-2009]

A psychopath is often identified as "one who has the inability to recognize others as worthy of compassion." It is common for early practices to include animal mutilation. Not only does the psychopath disassociate themselves from the feelings that "normal" people would feel but they often feel empowered by controlling the animal's destiny. Controlling the level of pain they inflict. Controlling their ability to take away life.

The individual(s) that killed this young lady's pet is unquestionably a threat to Crystal as well as others. I am hopeful that this will receive sufficient attention encouraging somebody to step forward with information. At that point we turn it over to the Justice System which is unfortunately lenient with young offenders.

An ex-boyfriend of my daughter committed three felonies. As he was 18 at the time the judge allowed him to serve no jail time and instead spend a few months in a "boot camp."

Less than 30 days after he was released he murdered my daughter.

Our Justice System has first a responsibility to protect the populace, not to "reform" young people that have chosen a life of crime. When the individual(s) responsible for mutilating Crystal's dog are caught I hope that a judge that recognizes their primary duty is responsible for sentencing.

My heart goes out to Crystal and her family.

Drew Crecente
Director, Jennifer Ann's Group
www.JenniferAnn.org

[pgrote9707]

Jeffrey Dahmer started out killing and dismembering animals.

[samthetvcat]

Sick sick sick! Grrrr!!!!!

[randalds]

Drew Crecente
Director, Jennifer Ann's Group
www.JenniferAnn.org
Posted by drew30319 at 02:18 PM : Mar 15, 2007

My most sincere condolences to you and your family. I agree that for far too long crimes like this one have been passed off far to lightly and not been seen for what they are, early indicators of diseased minds. Intervention is this perpetrators life now may or may not help him, but keeping this sick individual off the streets for treatment will certainly make those around him and society in general safer. Torturing helpless animals is one of the seeds for a growing serial killer.

[lilmissdahl]

People do this because their way of thinking is well what is the most they are going to do to me. Look at the world and everything that goes on in it, most people get probation for something like this when we all know they should be in prison if not killed. An animal is just like a human and should be treated with respect I hope they nail this person to the wall and I give hope and prayer to the family. I have always had animals and I just couldnt imagine something like this. Its awful

[kimec4-2009]

I am 40 years old and if that happened to me, it surely would leave a life-long impression on me. It pains me to read this-poor girl-I am so sorry that happened and hope the bastage that did it is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

[retmilspouse]

nautiq,
People who have to post something as sick as yours, and then admit that you get a kick out of the response, is a very sick person. Your soul is as black as the person who committed this heinous act. And why did you have to make fun of RandalDS by saying he is sweet, as if there were something wrong with that. What if he is sweet at least he's not a cold hearted *** like you. People like you who make fun of others and their tragedy to fullfill yourself in some sick way is in need of serious therapy.

[lilmissdahl]

For the person who said this guy did her a favor, what are you thinking. If you have kids imagine that because she felt the same way about that dog as you do to kids or family. A dog is a friend, do you have any?

[retmilspouse]

Why does everything that happens in this country now have to be equated to whats going on in Iraq? This person is a depraved individual pure and simple. Our soldiers in Iraq are not perfect and mistakes have been made and crimes have been committed. But please don't compare our sons, daughters, husbands and wives who are serving their country to this psycho.

[ktwebb2]

These people who are posting theses crazy comments about she deserved it, etc. obviously would not say that if they were not behind a computer screen!

[retmilspouse]

bildooreilly,
I am so tired of your tirades. You need to start your own blog or some other kind of web site to spew your hatefull political rants. Do you have any friends that think like you do or do you just go around the web finding people to harrass? You make me sick and I am tired of reading your ignorant hate filled ***.

[katia327]

Seems that even in his bizarre way, the dog head cutter did this girl a favor and freed her from her over attachment and obsession to mere animal.
Posted by Agnim...
--------------------

And YOU,are as sick as the person who did this. NO feelings, just a cold human being.

The person who did this, should have THEIR head severed. An eye for an eye, people. Disgusting piece of trash.

[sclaires]

I am 65 and if something like that happened to me, I would be deverstated (? spelling). I have a wonderful dog who is almost always by my side regardless of what I am doing. She sleeps with me and I can be sure that she is right up next to me. I had to have my mother's 17 1/2 year old dog put down the last of January and I cried all the way from the vet's office to my brother's house where she is buried. I had inherited her when my mother died and when I realized that she could not go on, I did the humane thing and took her to the vet to be put down correctly. And, I have never received a bill from the vet for doing that. Crystal's dog was treated cruelly and then to send the head to her, would deverstate her and anyone else that it might have happened to. I hope that the police catch whoever did this and put them under the jail house for a lengthly stay.

[dredre2k]

How horrible! It's disgusting that someone did this to an animal, and terrorized a 17 year old girl by mutilating her dog. I hope they find and punish the person(s) responsible severely. People who do these kind of things need to be locked away from the rest of posterity.

[zoroastor]

Seems that even in his bizarre way, the dog head cutter did this girl a favor and freed her from her over attachment and obsession to mere animal.
Posted by Agnim at 02:32 PM : Mar 15, 2007

For the person who said this guy did her a favor, what are you thinking?
Posted by lilmissdahl at 02:36 PM : Mar 15, 2007


Well you see, that's the problem. Agnim doesn't think. he/she applies the same logic to just about every post he/she writes. There is no compassion, no thought for anyone other than self, a lot of anger and apparently a complete lack of empathy. The clinical term for the traits agnim exhibits in his posts is "sociopathic".
Unfortunatly, there is a current climate in this country where he, and others like him, are not only not ashamed to speak their minds, but have been allowed to believe it is actually a superiour train of thought.
Well, I can only hope karma exists and that what comes around goes around. That which you sew, so shall ye reap.

[randalds]

Posted by Agnim at 02:32 PM : Mar 15, 2007

This is a Troll. Please do not feed this Troll. Thank you.