Sussex dog killed, accused babysitter pleads guilty
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Kielee Sonnemann, the woman accused of killing a family's dog while babysitting one of their children, appeared in court on Monday, Nov. 25 for a plea/sentencing hearing.
Sonnemann pleaded guilty. Ultimately, she will spend nine months behind bars and two years on probation. Based on the charges, she faced up to five and half years in prison.
Her attorney told the court that Sonnemann suffers from bipolar disorder that had gone untreated until this crime.
Kielee Sonnemann
"I loved that dog as my own," Sonnemann said. "It is a horrible thing I’ve done. I don’t know why I did it."
The judge took into consideration Sonnemann’s otherwise clean record, but said taking the life of a beloved family pet requires time behind bars.
The dog’s owners were not happy with the sentence and wanted more jail time.
Case details
Sonnemann, 18, faced one count of mistreatment of animals with the use of a dangerous weapon.
The criminal complaint says a Sussex family hired Sonnemann to babysit their 4-year-old daughter on Thursday night, Jan. 25. When the mother returned home around 9 p.m., the family's 8-year-old Chihuahua, Batman, was missing.
Woman accused, killing family’s dog; charged in Waukesha County
Waukesha County prosecutors have charged an 18-year-old woman for allegedly killing a family's dog while babysitting one of their children.
The mother said Sonnemann even helped her look for Batman Thursday night. They searched the house, but they didn't find him.
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On Friday, the family kept searching for Batman, including driving around the neighborhood and reporting him missing to the sheriff's department.
The criminal complaint says the family called 911 at 1:35 p.m. Friday to respond to the family's home for an animal complaint.
Kielee Sonnemann
The family told investigators their 11-year-old daughter had just returned from staying at her grandmother's house. The father said he found the dog hidden beneath blankets in a corner of her bedroom, with "blood all over the place".
According to the complaint, the father told deputies he suspected Sonnemann, who they'd hired as a babysitter the night before, because she was the only one in the house with their daughter. Sonnemann wasn't answering the family's calls, they said.
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The family also had questions because they noticed their daughter's hair was cut.
Deputies found Batman with an apparent stab wound in his chest. Additionally, they say the dog "had a plastic bag over its head."
The complaint said deputies also reviewed surveillance video from inside the home.
Sussex family says babysitter killed their dog
A Sussex family is mourning after they say their babysitter killed their dog while watching one of their kids.
At one point, it said the dog, Sonnemann and 4-year-old daughter were all visible in the living room. Later, they said Batman wasn't visible, and Sonnemann could be seen walking in the hallway where the dog was found dead.
The family also told deputies a pair of scissors was missing.
Deputies said they found a pair of scissors with what appeared to be blood and fur on them inside the top drawer of a dresser in the bedroom.