A security guard in Florida has been arrested after police said he viciously beat a small Yorkshire terrier to death. Miami Beach police claim that Sigman Hernandez attacked the animal, which weighed less than 10 pounds, in a fit of fury sparked by the pup vomiting in his car. On April 7, an employee discovered the poor Yorkie in a parking garage near a Publix grocery store, believing it was lifeless. According to a police report, officers who arrived at the scene saw the dog still breathing, but with a severely swollen abdomen.
As officers hastily brought the ailing dog to a veterinary emergency hospital, the police report noted that she would intermittently "groan in agony". An X-ray showed that the canine had seven fractured ribs on one side, with more broken bones on the other. The vets informed the police that the dog, who was later given the moniker Lily, had bloodshot eyes and pulmonary swelling which indicated she had been strangled. Despite the vets' efforts, Lily was unable to hold on and passed away after two days.
Police identified Hernandez from surveillance footage of him driving into the Publix garage, where he worked as a security guard. On Wednesday, Hernandez surrendered to the police and admitted to "slapping and possibly choking his canine companion after it had vomited in his car," according to a police report. He also confessed to abandoning the dog in the parking garage. Hernandez has been charged with animal cruelty and was released on bail Thursday morning.
As he exited the jail, WKMG inquired of Hernandez if he had hurt his dog. Hernandez responded with a firm, "No." Please share this information with your family and friends.