ECSO: Video Shows Ransom Middle Student Abusing A Rabbit

April 4, 2019

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a disturbing social media video that shows the alleged abuse of a rabbit  by a Ransom Middle School student.

The female in the video is a Ransom Middle School student, but the alleged incident happened off campus at a private residence and was not connected to the school, according Maj. Andrew Hobbs of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Social media posts incorrectly claim the incident happened at the school, and there is no evidence the rabbit died as purported.

Hobbs said the Sheriff’s Office became aware of the video late Wednesday afternoon and launched an investigation that led to the identity of the young female.

**WARNING: Some readers will find the following details disturbing.

In the video, the female is seen wearing an “Aggies” t-shirt, holding a rabbit. She tosses it into the air, letting the rabbit fall to the ground before picking it up and repeating her actions. Other persons off camera can be heard laughing.

“They are like a cat. They land on their,” someone says.

“Throw it high,” someone off camera yells.

The rabbit runs, and the female give chase before tackling it. She then continues to throw the sometimes limp animal about.

Pictured: Screenshots from a video that allegedly shows a Ransom Middle School student abusing a rabbit.

Comments

61 Responses to “ECSO: Video Shows Ransom Middle Student Abusing A Rabbit”

  1. SELINA on April 6th, 2019 9:04 am

    She is old enough to know better. She has some issues going on obviously . Hopefully she will not grow into an abusive adult and learn to be kind and loving instead of hateful and disrespectful to humans and animals.

  2. Fred on April 5th, 2019 10:12 pm

    Having seen the video, it’s clear this kid is seriously deficient in empathy and compassion and exceedingly cruel. Her juvenile outcome should be inpatient resident mental health treatment. I’m not being harsh, she is potentially dangerous. This was a little rabbit and she took obvious pleasure in torturing it. Imagine how she would treat a human child someday.

  3. erica on April 5th, 2019 9:00 pm

    IM SICK READING THIS AND I DID NOT WATCH THE VIDEO I JUST COULDNT! I DONT WANT TO HEAR EXCUSES FROM HER MOM BULL! THAT GIRL IS SICK AND NEEDS HELP! HOW COULD SOMEONE ABUSE A PRECIOUS HELPLESS CREATURE!? SOMEONE SHOULD DO THE SAME TO HER AND SEE HOW SHE LIKES IT! I HOPE ALL THE KIDS ARE PUNISHED! ESPECIALLY ANIMAL ABUSERS WHO STARVE OR CONFINE ANIMALS IT MAKES ME SICK AND I CANT GET THE IMAGES OUT OF MY MIND! IF U CANT TAKE CARE OF AN ANIMAL GIVE IT TO THE SHELTER! I WOULD RATHER IT GET FED OR PUT TO SLEEP TO BE OUT OF ITS MISERY!

  4. Rms student on April 5th, 2019 5:14 pm

    There minnors they dont deserve to go to jail they just need counseling the bunny is not dead its alive and children at Ransom bulling them is not funny it needs to stop now.

  5. Deborah on April 5th, 2019 3:42 pm

    Years ago I was employed briefly in a Counseling Program that at Ransom Middle School. I can tell you that I would have had this young woman and her ‘cheering crowd’ in my office so fast that it would make your head spin! Their behavior was totally unacceptable! Rabbits are one of the most harmless, innocent creatures on earth. When we think of Easter and the birth of Jesus the Christ, we also know that there will be sweet little bunny rabbits in some Easter baskets! I was also employed as the Guidance Counselor in a private school for a number of years. While there, I sponsored a program entitled ‘ANIMAL RIGHTS, ANIMAL CARE’. Many animals visited the classrooms on this day, every year. The students at my school Loved this day. I also sponsored a PEER COUNSELING PROGRAM, in which the kids learned how to confront one another and to utilize counseling skills with their peers. These Peer Counseling sessions were usually held in the Guidance Office. This was also a very popular program. To the kids who reported the incidents, and all of the ones who also are standing up for the bunny rabbit, I would like to say ‘THANK YOU, and I am very proud of you!!!

  6. Tobe Wilder on April 5th, 2019 2:58 pm

    This event has nothing to do with Ransom Middle School — however, it appears the school is being held responsible for the child’s behavior. Where were the parents during this event?

  7. Sad on April 5th, 2019 12:37 pm

    I hope all animals were removed from the home so she can’t hurt them if she hasn’t already. This is disturbing.

  8. Linda on April 5th, 2019 11:45 am

    Shame on those two girls and whoever else was there that hurt that innocent little rabbit I am just disgusted to even watch that video I am live it and I can’t get over it where were the parents are people in the neighborhood that saw that going on I hope the counselors at her school could do something and I hope Escambia county sheriffs department prosecute her I don’t care if she is a minor or not she is going to continue to do these things if she is not given proper treatment and counseling for this there is something wrong with a child who thinks it’s OK to throw an animal in the air and then kick it and then hang it upside down and I heard that all of the video she broke its neck shame shame on the parents who have allowed a child to do these kind of things because you know she just didn’t start doing it

  9. Sherry on April 5th, 2019 10:16 am

    She did something wrong. It was very disturbing and she needs counseling. With that said surrounding her in the hallways of her school, calling her name’s, belittling her, harrassing her, putting you hands on her etc. is uncalled for. If all the people at the school are so worried about her becoming a seriel killer( which probably would never happen) then bullying her isn’t going to help the matter any. We need to be more forgiving towards one another. I pray her parents get her counseling, all the girls that took part in it need counseling.

  10. Robinhood on April 5th, 2019 8:52 am

    GOD put humans in charge of taking care of the planets animals and those who abuse them will pay dearly one day for abusing a helpless and defenseless animal. Can tell that Parenting has gone to the wayside these days because My mother taught me and my siblings to always treat animals with loving kindness. May they try loving kindness and see if that does not work out better for animals and them as well

  11. Nikki on April 5th, 2019 8:37 am

    Well she’s definitely getting the attention she wanted. All of the girls involved need to be evaluated. I don’t see how this is funny what so ever.

  12. Linda on April 5th, 2019 8:16 am

    I sure hope North Escambia gives us an update on what happens with this

  13. Linda on April 5th, 2019 8:12 am

    I am disgusted and frankly shocked by some of the comments I am reading. The persons who are saying that people shouldn’t be saying future serial killer. Come on people how do you think serial killers and murderers and abusers get started they do it to innocent animals into small children and that leads to bigger and better things in their mind and watching this video and being around animals my whole life this child if you can cover a child I call her a simpleminded child knew exactly what she was doing and thought it was very funny that she was doing it it was to impress everyone on the video this is how abusers murders and serial killers get started this child has a long ways to go if ever if her brain ever get straightened out I have to fault her parents also Surely they have seen this happening already in their household with her. Wake up people kids like this don’t need to go to public schools and they need to be institutionalized until they have received a lot of help for many years. I am sure her Escambia county nothing will happen to this child she’ll get talk to and they’ll hope that this doesn’t happen again I guess we’ll see in time

  14. dylin on April 5th, 2019 7:31 am

    im suppriesed that she dident think twice because she can go to jail for animal abuse

  15. Ransom student last year on April 5th, 2019 7:18 am

    These kids did the wrong thing and need to pay the consequences for their actions. All kids make mistakes but what they did deserves to be treated with a consequence that will never want to make them touch another animal again.

  16. mq on April 5th, 2019 12:05 am

    Sad. But when society has no regard for life before birth, why would they have any regard for the living….human or animal.
    Hope there are some consequences for the one committing the act, and for those who did nothing to stop it.

  17. yeet on April 4th, 2019 10:44 pm

    this is so disgusting. i am absolutely petrified to know these idiot girls are in the same age group as me. if these girls aren’t sent to jail for at least 10 years, they’re gonna think they can just do as they like whenever they want. send them to jail!!!!

  18. my thoughts on April 4th, 2019 9:33 pm

    There is no rehabilitating these girls. That they would commit such horrible acts at their young age is proof of that. Expel them all from school, lock them up in jail/prison for as long as the law allows or send them off to live in an institution. I hope none of them have access to animals for the rest of their miserable lives. They should not be able to move freely through society as if they have done nothing wrong. Other people and animals need to be protected from these evil girls.

  19. Rms student on April 4th, 2019 9:22 pm

    I am a RMS student an completely agree with the actions that are being taken with Escambia County authority . She deserves every bit of what is happening right now . So people say maybe she does but that ABSOLUTELY does not mean she needs to go a kill a bunny because of it . I have some 7th and 8th grader friends. One of my friends texted her and said”why would you do that, what did it do to you” and she said “I trained him to do that , he’s supposed to do that .” That bunny was obviously not rained to do that . If it was “trained” to do that it wouldn’t have died. This girl need some serious help before she becomes a actual serial killer . -

  20. Howie on April 4th, 2019 9:11 pm

    Here is some research I found through the PAWS website:

    Until the past 20 years, the connection between violence against animals and violence against humans went unrecognized. Now a growing body of research has shown that people who abuse animals rarely stop there.

    Increasingly, child protection and social service agencies, mental health professionals, and educators recognize that animal abuse is aggressive and antisocial behavior. It is also a reliable predictor of violence against people after a young abuser grows up.

    Children learn about abuse by being its victim. They often fail to develop empathy, and without this key quality they cannot recognize their victims’ pain. When they begin to “act out” their abuse trauma, children first target animals. As adults, they find new victims among the most vulnerable–children, partners, and the elderly.

    ——————–

    This young girl should be forced to work at Milton K9 Academy as part of getting community service hours. Hopefully a Judge will order that. Along with her, should be her friends that found this act of violence so funny.

    Milton K9 Academy offers services and training animals is a plus. Maybe the school can help get this girl a volunteer job at the Academy.

    ———————

    This has really made me sick at my stomach and my wife cried. People who engage in violent acts don’t realize they hurt others and we all become victims.

  21. Bob on April 4th, 2019 9:04 pm

    Pathetic

  22. Outsider looking in on April 4th, 2019 9:01 pm

    This is horrible and completely indecent. No animal should ever have to go through this. And I’m not defending her whatsoever, but I don’t think we should be saying that she will end up as a serial killer. It seems a bit extreme and unnecessary based off the incident. We see what horrible thing happened and rather than slander a 7th grader on social media, We should be the bigger person, take notice that this girl needs help, and deal with it in a civil matter. We don’t know her home life or her mental state, But there most definitely needs to be consequences. Wether the police get involved or counseling is necessary, we should take care of that without Harassing her to feel like you did something.

  23. Jdub on April 4th, 2019 8:47 pm

    I saw that video and it absolutely disgusts me! Not only should that girl be held accountable but her sick, twisted friends videoing it all while giggling and encouraging the girl to throw higher should also be held accountable as well. I’m thankful for all the kids that saw this and told their parents so it could be reported to proper authorities. This gives me some hope for the future generation.

  24. POM on April 4th, 2019 8:10 pm

    Barbara..I.agree completely! And Relieved-God bless you, your child and their friends for reporting this disgusting girl and her friends-horrible people- they should severely punished

  25. She Needs HELP!!!! on April 4th, 2019 7:55 pm

    Someone who acts out like this obliviously needs to be evaluated, but more importantly her home life needs evaluation because something in her world is not right to behave like this. Sadly though the majority of our case workers in Escambia County are incompetent and self-serving so this girl will not likely receive the help she needs. Prayers sent, hopefully the good Lord will intervene.

  26. 8th grade student on April 4th, 2019 7:48 pm

    this girl is a 7th grader and is in my 1st period choirs class. she cane from the deans office crying, i didn’t feel bad for her at all. why would you do that to a living creature? imagine if someone grabs you buy the feet and drops you on the head and abysses you. this is honestly sick that someone would do this to a animal. and she said she was “just playing” you don’t play like that.

  27. Bewildered on April 4th, 2019 7:04 pm

    I hope animal control took custody of the rabbit and any other animals this family might have. Maybe the girl is not very intelligent, but she also is not a 2 year old who does not know any better. If she actually broke the rabbit’s neck charges should be filed and society better keep an eye on her. Violent tendencies usually get worse. As for the bystanders – disgusting response!

  28. Makayla S on April 4th, 2019 6:50 pm

    I found this on Snapchat and I was disgusted at this persons behavior I can not believe this happened well if she thought it would go viral and she would be all cool and stuff well one thing she is wayyyy less than cool and it did go viral but not the kind she wanted but the complete opposite she has gotten soo much hate ever since it was uploaded she shouldn’t have been doing that in the first place but I hope her actions have taught her a huge lesson and I hope she learns from her past and never does this again the bunny didn’t even do anything to her but seriously what is wrong with all of you the girls laughing and the girl THROWING the poor bunny seriously your not 5 but you sure are acting like it and she should be ashamed of herself and her parents need to do something about this immediately!!

  29. Naomi on April 4th, 2019 6:41 pm

    So sad. That poor bunny. :( . However, we live in a society that tells us it’s okay to kill our unborn children. That having fun is okay no matter the expense. That nothing is sacred. I wonder who taught this child to have such little regard for life. :(

  30. Sage2 on April 4th, 2019 6:36 pm

    …and a child being abused would not get this much attention! ANYONE mistreating an animal or child is a danger to society…young or old!

  31. Ransom student on April 4th, 2019 6:25 pm

    This girl is in ransom middle school chorus and she needs to be punished for her actions because beating and killing a animal at a young age shows that you can be a serial killer when you get older. She needs to be helped by a physiatrist and need to be held accountable for her actions.

  32. Faith on April 4th, 2019 6:17 pm

    Very disturbing, the one who did the physical action and the ones recording it..should be all be arrested for animal cruelty, i dont care how young they are…teach these kids a lesson before they do more harm…And the parents need to have some hefty court fees for not teaching their kids better behavior.

  33. Mblanche on April 4th, 2019 6:13 pm

    These girls are potential future serial killers as they have NO respect for life!!!! Sociopaths! Hope they all get serious counseling. Had any boy done this he would be labeled as a future killer. Same for girls!! Nothing innocent about these kids. They are sick in the mind. Made me sick to my stomach.

  34. CW on April 4th, 2019 6:09 pm

    > I talked to her In a nice manner and she said that bunny’s are on this earth to be played with as toys<

    Hmm, I wonder who taught her that? No animal is on earth for the purpose of being played with by humans, what a stupid belief.

  35. Mental health nurse on April 4th, 2019 6:01 pm

    This young girl needs be evaluated by trained psychiatrist. Additionally, her guardians/parents need to get her in counseling asap.There’s one at all schools. Call the ESE office to inquire about enrolling in services.

  36. Student from ransom middle school April 4 on April 4th, 2019 5:44 pm

    When I saw the video on another’s Snapchat story I realized whom it was and she was my friend so I talked to her In a nice manner and she said that bunny’s are on this earth to be played with as toys but it’s doesn’t even matter your not supposed to treat a toy like that either and I was very sad and I feel very bad for that bunny

  37. 8th Grade Ransom Studen on April 4th, 2019 5:40 pm

    I heard of this while walking in the hall. I thought “that’s so bogus no one would do that to their own pet, right?” Then my friend showed me the video and I was utterly disgusting and disappointed. This girl has no exscuses to make up for what she did. I promise Ransom students are like this.

  38. anne 1of2 on April 4th, 2019 5:25 pm

    What goes around comes around. This is very sad. Those laughing in the background are not her friends either. Pain and hate are all these kids seem to know. Yet we see good kids doing good every day. Can someone at least get the rabbit away from her?

  39. 7th grader on April 4th, 2019 5:20 pm

    disgusting.

  40. Student on April 4th, 2019 5:19 pm

    I’ve seen this on Snapchat. The girl behind the camera was under a lot of fire today. I passed by the girl abusing the rabbit on my way to 2nd per. I was walking with a big group of girls, (8th, 7th, and mostly 6th) and they all surrounded her, saying “Why did you do that?” “I hope you rot in hell” “you’re gonna end up like that bunny” and all kinds of stuff. She ignored them and kept walking, which I don’t blame her for, and people are saying that the girl choked out/broke the rabbit’s neck while tackling it many times (off camera). The girl behind the camera was influencing her telling her to throw it higher. She came into school saying “I DiDn’T sAy ThaT” but you can clearly hear it in the video.

  41. Mariah Edwards on April 4th, 2019 5:16 pm

    This is sick and disgusting how could she do that to a helpless rabbit that’s uncalled for and so mean . It disturbs me that I used to be friends with her ! I’m glad that someone reported this to the authorities!! I hope she never gets her hands on any other animal that’s she can abuse just like the rabbit agin .! Her mom and dad should be ashamed of her actions and take serious action IMMEDIATELY !!! That’s the most heart breaking thing I’ve ever seen and I can’t believe that her mom and dad are just allowing it to happen. It’s truly unbelievable!! And it’s sad that this girl even thinks it’s funny in the first place to throw a helpless animal !! And the kids who are laughing and making comments like “throw it higher” is unbelievable and sickening! And to think that she came to school he next day and when I studen asked her about the incident she reply’s with “I was teaching it tricks” that’s so sickly I can’t even believe her !!

  42. Black Rabbit on April 4th, 2019 5:09 pm

    You cannot keep rabbits in hutches outside and or in tiny cages, raise domestic rabbits for meat, hunt them, buy them for Easter and then forget about them and then either dump them in the woods where they die or abandon them at an animal shelter and then expect your children to not treat them like a stuffed animal.

  43. Jaqueline Gaines on April 4th, 2019 5:07 pm

    I was in this school not even two years ago and let me just say this, kids now adays have no respect for anyone or anything. All they care about is if they get caught and going through all the comments I hope she has punishments this is actual animal abuse, no matter your age there’s always going to be consequences for wrong actions. She is the absolute reason the newer generations are given bad names due to others wrong doing.

  44. Student on April 4th, 2019 5:04 pm

    I used to know this girl and she is in ransom middle school chorus and she deserves to be punished for her actions

  45. T. E. on April 4th, 2019 4:53 pm

    I saw this video. And this kind of stuff makes me more than upset. She thinks of that as playing with it then I wonder how shed like it if people did it to her. Kids now a days hhave no morals about others. Its all about whats going to get the most likes or views.

  46. makayla johns on April 4th, 2019 4:49 pm

    ik who she is personally, she hates me and my mom. when i went to ransom she always said stuff like i hate you, your mom ruined my life. she was never one that ppl liked bc she was always being rude to them. she was always giving people dirty looks and always calling people names.

  47. A 7th grader at Ransom Middle School on April 4th, 2019 4:49 pm

    Wow, I cannot believe this is actually going on at Ransom and with one of my peers at school I am disgusted and ashamed and embarrassed that someone at my school did something like that. That poor innocent animal, being thrown around like some sort of toy when it is a real, living, thing. Crazy. I HOPE she knows what she did was wrong and that she will get punished for her actions.

  48. kaela on April 4th, 2019 4:46 pm

    i go to ransom and in 8th grade. i knew this girl and she was very rude to my cousin when they were really close friends. i’m honestly not surprised at all that she did this. this was a terrible thing to do, i don’t know how somebody in their right mind would do something horrible to an nice little bunny. at school she said she was “teaching him tricks”

  49. dewey on April 4th, 2019 4:40 pm

    this is todays societal behavior with our young people, they have no guidance, discipline, ethics or morals. It is all about cell phones, videos, movies and the idiocy of todays media. Children and most adults are withdrawn, and distant. Sad.

  50. Relieved on April 4th, 2019 4:36 pm

    I’m so proud of my kiddo & her friends for sticking together, and doing the right thing reporting this sickening video to the school!

  51. Spencer cristofoletti on April 4th, 2019 4:35 pm

    I personally go to Ransom Middle School where I’m in 8th grade. I am disgusted and disappointed on how students act while on video. I think this type of stuff is a terrible representation on how our age group and how Ransom Middle School students act.

  52. Relieved on April 4th, 2019 4:28 pm

    I am so glad this is being addressed! My daughter sent me this video while I was at work today, and it made me so sick and angry! I was NOT going to just let it go, but had not had a chance to address the details with her yet. I hope the child’s parents take this very seriously! That is very scary that the child in the video has no compassion for that poor defenseless rabbit, and that her “friends” think it’s funny! Kudos for reporting it to authorities!

  53. Student on April 4th, 2019 4:27 pm

    This is disgusting. I knew the girl myself never talking to her but she was in my class! She seemed so innocent and nice. I am truly ashamed that she is apart of our school being a representative, and more. Very shameful

  54. A former Ransom Student on April 4th, 2019 4:24 pm

    This is disgusting, and an embarrassment to Ransom students. I hope when people read of this they understand that this is not the standard behavior of Ransom students

  55. Hannah on April 4th, 2019 4:20 pm

    I can’t believe she would do that I used to be friends with her and she owns lots of animals I just can’t believe that she would abuse a rabbit like that

  56. I saw on April 4th, 2019 4:19 pm

    I saw another video of the girl tackling the rabbit as it tried to run away . in one of the videos she says “I hope my dad doesn’t come out her “

  57. I know how she is on April 4th, 2019 4:12 pm

    I know who she is and the people off camera

  58. student .. on April 4th, 2019 4:04 pm

    i cant belive she used to be my friend she is so sick and mean i cant believe she would do this

  59. just sayin' on April 4th, 2019 4:02 pm

    Most serial killers start out by torturing animals. The parents might want to consider intensive therapy for this child. as well as the kids in the background laughing This is NOT just kids being kids!

  60. Psb on April 4th, 2019 4:01 pm

    My heart is crying for the helpless bunny and it is sad that her parents did not teach her to respect and care for those who have no voice. Now the Law has to teach her

  61. barbara on April 4th, 2019 3:50 pm

    I am so mad right now………..those kids laughing….. what is wrong with you.I wish I could save that rabbit,I would slap you and throw you to the ground……. hate hate hate people like you……………..