Pompano Beach woman accused of setting cat on fire
POMPANO BEACH - Residents in a Pompano Beach neighborhood are floored by what happened Tuesday afternoon.
"It's like a murder scene. You would think somebody got murdered. There were cops and the fire department, and they were here for hours," says a neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous.
According to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, they received a call about a horrific case of animal abuse on the 1600 block of NE 33rd Street.
A man saw smoke coming from his neighbor's yard, and when he peeked over, he made a gruesome discovery.
"There was a cat inside of a trap and she was burning the cat alive," he said.
The neighbor called 911 and says what he saw next was beyond belief.
"I noticed the cat was moving, I thought it was dead. Then, she stoked the fire and the cat started moving around again."
When deputies arrived, they arrested 79-year-old Elgathe Celestin for the crime.
Those who live in the area are shaken up, and one woman told us she heard disturbing noises just the night before.
"I was walking down the street, and I was right over here near those houses, and I heard a loud cry. It sounded like what I thought was a baby — an infant crying — come to find out — I think it was cats," said Kristina Mejia.
A bizarre day to say the least for this Pompano Beach neighborhood, and for animal lovers in the area, the crime is unfathomable.
"I love animals. I love them so much, and I would never — I don't know why people would hurt them," said Rachel Martins.
Celestin is charged with aggravated animal cruelty. That's a third-degree felony in the state of Florida. If she is found guilty, she could spend up to five years behind bars.