Boy, 11, Accused of Beating Leashed Dog to Death in Grandma's Neighborhood

Authorities in Mississippi have charged an 11-year-old boy with fatally bludgeoning a diminutive dog while it was on a leash in its owner’s home. 

Police in Petal, Miss., responded to a report of an individual beating a dog with a stick on March 17, Det. Daniel Klem with the Petal Police Department confirms to PEOPLE. 

Responding officers found the dog dead, and still on a leash, in its owner’s yard, Klem said. 

Police reviewed a video recorded by “a concerned citizen,” allegedly showing the boy beating the dog. Using the video, investigators were able to identify the suspect. 

The suspect, who police say is a 11-year-old juvenile, was located within the vicinity of the incident, per Klem. 

The child is not a resident of the neighborhood and was visiting his grandmother at the time of the incident. 

The dog was identified by its owner as “Chico” in a Facebook post.

“He couldnt defend himself or go anwhere to get away from this physco kid that beat him,” Timber Roberts wrote in a post.

Chico weighed just 3 lbs., noted Roberts, who added his sister Romie “seems to know and is not the same now.”

“My family and I are very sad and miss him so much,” wrote Roberts. “No animal deserves to pass this way.”

Roberts’ family has since started a petition to strengthen the state’s animal cruelty law.

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The boy was released from custody, Klem tells PEOPLE. His grandmother was charged, but not arrested, and was assigned to appear in court.

The 11-year-old was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, and his grandmother was charged with contributing to the delinquency or neglect of a child, per Klem.

Plea and attorney information for the two were not immediately available.