An Ohio woman, whose case became entangled in the bizarre claims made by JD Vance and Trump about Haitian migrants in Springfield allegedly eating pets, has now reached a verdict. Allexis T. Ferrell, 27, pleaded guilty after being found next to a cat in Canton last August, next to a cat she allegedly stomped on before eating. Authorities reported finding fur on her lips and blood on her hands and feet.
Woman pleads guilty in ‘cat-eating’ case
During the Presidential debatewith Kamala Harris in October, President-elect Donald Trump repeated claims made by his running mate, JD Vance, suggesting that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets, specifically cats and dogs. Trump’s comments, saying “They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats,” caused quite a stir online with Vance even trying to repost unfounded claims repeatedly. However, local leaders quickly clarified that no such activities were taking place in Springfield.
On December 2, in Canton, Ohio, Allexis T. Ferrell, 27, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty. As reported by the Canton Repository, Ferrell was sentenced to the maximum penalty by Stark County Common Pleas Judge Frank G. Forchione. “I can’t express the disappointment, shock, and disgust that this crime has brought to me. I don’t know what could prompt anyone to want to eat a cat,” the judge said according to Newsweek.
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“You’ve embarrassed this county. You’ve embarrassed this nation. More importantly, you’ve embarrassed yourself,” added Forchione. “To me, you present quite a danger to our community. This is repulsive to me—anyone would do this to an animal. And an animal is like a child. I don’t know if you understand that or not.”
What was the case?
Ferrell’s disturbing actions in Canton, Ohio, became the center of a wider controversy that unintentionally stirred up animosity towards the Haitian community in Springfield, especially after claims made by Trump and Vance. Springfield, which has recently welcomed over 12,000 migrants, many of whom arrived legally through the Humanitarian Parole program became an unintended target of these baseless accusations.
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“A lot of towns don’t want to talk about it because they’re so embarrassed by it. In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Trump said at the time.
Turns out Ferrell is a lifelong Ohio resident, born and raised in Canton, where she graduated from McKinley High School in 2015. Ferrell was arrested on August 16 after neighbors called 911 upon witnessing the disturbing act. She was sentenced to 12 months in prison and an additional 18 months for violating probation, as she had prior convictions. During the sentencing, the judge expressed a desire to give Ferrell’s three children a better future, if she showed improvement.
