A man in Staten Island has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty after starving his neighbor’s cat Chester, and the viciously torturing and beating him while broadcasting it over Facebook’s live video feed.
The man, Tyrike Richardson, 21, is seen in the video, shirtless and wearing blue Tommy Hilfiger underwear throwing 2-year-old Chester, threatening him with a knife, hitting him with a chair, poking at him with a broom handle, and twisting the handle into his emaciated belly.
At first, Chester hisses and tries to defend himself. By the end, the black and white cat appears near death and unconscious. The video is far too graphic to post here. (In fact, I was unable to watch the entire thing.) Chester suffered serious injuries. It’s not known at this time if he will survive. He had multiple blunt force trauma injuries including a ollapsed lung, rib fractures, head trauma, a bloody nose and liver and kidney damage, sources said. The cat was found near death in a garbage can outside Richardson’s home.
At this time, Chester is still alive and in the care of the ASPCA.
At only 21 years of age, Richardson has been arrested 12 previous times, including sexual conduct with an underage girl. His next court date is July 28. He is currently being held on Rikers Island on $50,000 bail.
