After reviewing more comments. My point about waiting for a 30lb turtle vs finding something else. Go out in the woods and see how many 30lb turtles you can find. You don't just happen to have the ability to go pick one up in the woods like you would a stick or flower, he probably just found the thing and figured he would pull it out and show-off. I'm not defending the kids actions, I'm saying I feel a felony count of animal cruelty may be an overreaction. If this were someone who was showing tendencies toward becoming a "serial killer" he probably would have been killing animals earlier and more often, not just when he happened to come across a 30 lb. turtle.

There's alot of "coulds" in many of your arguements. The "thought police" seem to be kicking in to high gear over the death of a turtle so to condemn this kid as a serial killer. Just a thought, serial killers also showed an unnatural obsession as children too.

they should make turtle soup out of this loser

kj Back up "the turtle was in the wrong place at the wrong time". According to the N&O the kid went into the woods where the turtle LIVES. If this had been a kid walking with others and saw the turtle, thinking it to harm them, he cut it's neck off, we'd not be reading this story. He went and got the turtle. Toted it to his complex. Had the other kids watch as he constantly chopped on this turtle.It took a lot of determination to carry 30 lbs that far and then whack on it. The turtle shell has nerves where it connects to body and it hurts to damage it.His actions needs reprimanding. Maybe not a felony but he needs to work in an animal shelter a while and see helpless animals whom have been abandoned.He needs to tell if he felt good when hurting the turtle or what was he thinking. That's the key to the story. Is he a candidate for moving from animals to people?

Why is this news? I cannot believe that we are wasting tax payers money on such pettiness. Lets go after real criminals. This is ridiculous. Yes he is wacked but so what.