A 12-year-old Georgia boy was left heartbroken after his therapy pig was allegedly killed by three ghoulish neighbors – who were found with the dead animal in aprons and gloves beside a boiling pot of water.
Garrett Cox, who has ADHD and autism, is now struggling to cope after Bootsy, his 400-pound emotional support pig, was savagely shot dead after wandering from her pen and off the family’s Hoschton property, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, last week, according to multiple reports.
“I miss her so much,” the young boy told WSB-TV about the award-winning pig, while clutching the ribbons they had won at livestock competitions.
His parents, Kerrie and Matt, told the outlet they rushed out to find Bootsy after she escaped – then heard a gunshot and followed the chilling sound to a nearby home.
That’s when they found three people in aprons and gloves standing next to the dead hog and a pot of scalding hot water, leaving the horrified parents convinced the trio were trying to butcher the pig for food.
“There was a rope with blood on it beside her body,” Matt said, adding that Bootsy had been tied up.
Kerri said she confronted one of the cruel suspects, asking, “Why would you do this? You knew she was our pig,” but said the maniac responded with laughter, the outlet reported.
Mai Kia Vang-Moua, 54, Maysy Moua,59, and Kee Moua, 33, were arrested in connection to the incident and hit with aggravated animal cruelty charges.
Police said the heartless trio allegedly told investigators they thought the pig was a wild animal.
The parents pushed back, claiming their son’s therapy pig – whom he reportedly spent his days feeding, bathing and running with – had a visible livestock ear tag identifying her as a farm animal.
“This is someone who had purpose in what they were doing,” Kerrie said.
Bootsy, who became Garrett’s close companion through the Future Farmers of America, is now buried at the family’s barn.
“Of course, he started crying,” Matt said of his devastated son, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
“It’s been very up and down since.”
