A 29-year-old Louisiana man is in custody after deputies say he threatened a woman with a machete and attacked her dog, which later died from its injuries. Kevin Lightell of Bayou L’Ourse was arrested Saturday, Oct. 17, according to Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon. The woman told deputies she woke to find Lightell standing over her in her bedroom and ran as he tried to strike her.
Deputies found the dog severely injured when they arrived. The animal died Sunday evening, Oct. 18. Lightell remains at the Assumption Parish Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, domestic abuse aggravated assault and simple escape.
Cases like this one touch on two issues that don’t get discussed enough: how domestic violence escalates, and how animal cruelty often shows up alongside it. If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation at home, local domestic violence hotlines are free, confidential, and open 24/7. What do you think should happen next in this case?
