Allexis T. Ferrell, a 27-year-old woman from Canton, was handed a prison sentence on Monday after confessing to a gruesome act of animal cruelty. Ferrell was arrested in August at a residential complex following a disturbing incident where she killed a cat by stomping on its head and subsequently consuming it. The police were alerted to Ferrell’s actions after receiving multiple calls from concerned citizens.
In 2023, Ferrell had been given a three-year probation sentence for a felony charge of child endangerment. During her arrest for the cat incident, police body camera footage revealed blood on Ferrell’s feet and fur on her lips. The footage also captured an officer requesting rubber gloves as Ferrell was covered in blood. The scene was further marred by blood smeared on the driveway as bystanders watched the horrifying incident unfold.
The video of the incident gained significant traction online and was mistakenly used to bolster claims made by then President-elect Donald Trump that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were consuming cats. However, The Associated Press clarified that Ferrell is not an immigrant, not of Haitian descent, and was born in Ohio.
Ferrell was initially charged with disorderly conduct and cruelty to animals. Court documents indicate that she was sentenced to a year in prison for the animal cruelty charge. The court also took into account Ferrell’s mental state at the time of the offense.
Ferrell’s previous sentence of three years’ probation in 2023 for child endangerment was also considered. As a result of the new conviction, she will serve an additional 18 months in prison, bringing her total sentence to 30 months. In 2019, Ferrell had also pleaded guilty to theft and misuse of credit cards.
The police body camera footage of Ferrell’s arrest can be viewed on the WKYC channel on YouTube.