Man Drowns His Family Dog in Apartment Complex Pool After Argument: Police

A Florida man has been charged with felony animal cruelty after drowning his family dog in a swimming pool to get revenge on his relatives, police said.

After killing the pit bull terrier, police said, he went home and told his family what he had done, prompting a call to authorities.

Officers on Sunday night arrested Corey Vaughn Dacres, 25, on a count of aggravated animal cruelty after it was determined that he "intentionally" drowned the pet, the Pembroke Pines Police Department (PPPD) told Newsweek in an email. He made his first court appearance on Monday, where he was given a $35,000 bond and ordered by a judge to undergo a mental health evaluation, according to Broward County Sheriff's Office booking records.

The relationships among the family members were unknown at the time of publication. However, in a Tuesday email responding to Newsweek's request for comment, PPPD spokesperson Amanda Conwell said that due to Marsy's Law, which provides rights and protections for crime victims, Pembroke police are not releasing details on how the suspect is related to the family.

"The suspect is a family member of the victims," Conwell told Newsweek. "There is one primary victim who was the owner of Unity, but the dog was a member of the family."

Dacres got into a heated argument with his family shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday in their apartment in the Advenir at San Tropez complex in Pembroke Pines before leaving the unit with the dog, Pembroke police said.

He then "threw" the dog over a locked, 5-foot fence surrounding the complex's pool area before jumping the fence himself, entering the water with the dog and holding her underwater until she died, according to police.

The pet, a 6-year-old named Unity, was found dead by officers at the bottom of the pool, authorities said.

"Dacres entered the pool with Unity, where he willfully and maliciously drowned the dog," the department said in a statement that was also shared on Facebook. "When he returned home, he alerted his family to his actions and police were notified."

When officers arrived, they said, they discovered Unity's lifeless body at the bottom of the pool's shallow end. Investigators believe Dacres killed the canine in a fit of revenge, Conwell told Newsweek.

"Based upon our initial investigation, we believe his actions were the direct results of a verbal dispute he had with family members," Conwell said. "This appears to be retaliatory."

This case remains an active criminal investigation, according to the department's online statement.

"Pembroke Pines Police officers thoroughly investigate all crimes within our city, including those where animals are victimized," the department said. "Cruel or inhumane treatment of animals or pets is a crime, and anyone charged can be subject to arrest, fines and any other penalties under the law."

Update 07/11/23, 5:10 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from PPPD.