Florida Woman Arrested, Accused of Killing Kittens, Burying Them Alive

A Florida woman has been arrested and charged with animal torture after allegedly killing two kittens and burying three others alive in her backyard, authorities said. Alba Luz Chavez, 37, told police she believed the kittens were possessed by demons and described them as "ugly," according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek.

Deputies responded to a mobile home in Hobe Sound on Thursday after children in the residence alerted authorities. The children had reportedly locked three kittens in a room to protect them from Chavez. However, upon returning from dinner, they discovered Chavez had accessed the room and the kittens were missing.

When confronted by deputies, Chavez led them to where she had buried the remaining kittens. Body camera footage captured deputies digging up two live kittens from plastic bags in the ground. The third kitten was not located.

Chavez also admitted to killing two other kittens on October 5, burying them in shallow graves on the property. When asked about the method of killing, she reportedly began singing to avoid answering deputies.

Chavez faces four counts of torture to inflict serious physical pain or death of an animal. She is being held on a $100,000 bond. Sheriff Budensiek stated that Chavez is an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela and is subject to an immigration hold.

The children who were in the home have been placed into the custody of their father by the Florida Department of Children and Families. The exact relationship between Chavez and the children was not immediately clear.

The two rescued kittens are now in foster care and are reportedly recovering well. Their foster caregiver, Jennifer Jagdeo, described them as initially "sluggish" but now showing a complete turnaround. The kittens, approximately three weeks old, will require about two more months of foster care before they are eligible for adoption.