In February of 2002, police officers found a total of 32 cats locked in a trailer - left to starve. Eight did; 26 remained alive but in horrible shape. I remember this story and the acute emotional pain it caused me. Purposefully. Starving. Animals. Not turning them loose to fend for themselves when they were no longer useful, but locking them in a structure with no food, no water.

Today's Post-Dispatch reports that the "owner" of these cats was sentenced to probation and a restitution fee of $26,000 to cover the cost of the care of these animals incurred by the Humane Society.

The offender is named Natalie Peplin-Sobelman. Purported human being committed a horrific and evil act; nay, purported human being committed many, many horrific and evil acts. Here are excepts from the story provided today - there's more to it than the suffering of 32 cats.

First:

In February 2002, police found 26 living and eight dead cats in a trailer owned by Peplin-Sobelman. Investigators said the animals were left unattended for weeks. Many survived by drinking melted snow that leaked through the trailer's roof and by eating one another. Three of the rescued cats later died from diseases associated with malnutrition.

Weeks later, police discovered an unlicensed dog-breeding facility operated by Peplin-Sobelman. There, authorities found 155 dogs and seized 30 animals suffering from ailments often associated with neglect.

Dan Paden, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the sentence "would be laughable if it was not so abhorrent."

Natalie Peplin-Sobelman, 43, of Blackwell, Mo., was accused of purposefully starving dozens of cats and mistreating dogs at breeding facilities she had operated in northern St. Francois County, just south of the Jefferson County line. She appeared in a Farmington, Mo., courtroom on Friday after pleading guilty to one animal-abuse charge in exchange for prosecutors dropping six other felony charges and 55 misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty.

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Meet Rodney Michael Reaves and Charlott Lynett Reaves. I'd introduce you to Rodney's daughter, Joella, but I can't, you see. She's dead.

The girl was 11. According to this article in CNN (that I found via Boots and Sabers - Owen posted it yesterday), the father and stepmother were "punishing" the child for trying to leave the home.

The girl, Joella Reaves, was beaten over her entire body with an umbrella and paddle for several days, according to the arrest warrant. Her cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma.

"When she attempted to escape, she was hogtied. She was left with no food or water or sanitary or sleeping necessities," the warrant said.

Joella was being punished by her parents, according to the warrant. Police, attorneys and child welfare officials would not say what she had done to anger her parents.

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This will likely upset many of you as much as it has upset me.

A 19-year-old woman has been charged with first degree murder in the beating death of her 2 1/2-month old daughter who, according to shocked witnesses, was held by the ankles and her head slammed on the pavement Tuesday evening in the 5500 block of Pamplin Avenue, near West Florissant Avenue, St. Louis police said.

The mother, Jilanda Daniels, was charged late Tuesday evening. Her daughter, Destiny Daniels, was pronounced dead at St. Louis Children's Hospital as a result of severe head trauma.

"She was under the influence of drugs and quite possibly not aware of what she was actually doing because surely a mother would never do that to her child," police Lt. Rochelle Jones said.

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