Honk News (Jacksonville FL) — A man from Florida faces serious allegations for allegedly compelling children to bludgeon their pet pig to death with a hammer and for reportedly hitting a girl with a detached dryer cable after she accidentally spilled chips on the kitchen counter.
Glen Byrd, 35, has been charged with child abuse and animal cruelty, according to court documents. Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation after receiving a tip regarding the abuse of the girl, as detailed in a probable cause arrest affidavit. On November 23, Byrd reportedly struck her with the dryer cable.
She allegedly claimed that Byrd poured juice on her and her siblings and used a hammer to break a glass table. Officials examined images of the girl’s wounds and described them as “shocking and not aligned with acceptable physical discipline,” according to the affidavit.
Authorities conducted interviews with the children residing in the household, including Byrd’s 17-year-old stepson, revealing further alleged offenses. In October, Byrd sought to dispose of the family teacup (mini) pig and allegedly instructed the children to carry out the act, according to the affidavit. It is claimed that he instructed the children to hit the family’s pet pig with a hammer until it ceased moving. According to the affidavit, Byrd instructed the stepson to dispose of the pig’s body in the retention pond located in the neighborhood.
A significant portion of the affidavit accessible to the public is obscured, referencing public records exemptions regarding the identification of child abuse victims. The document indicated that law enforcement spoke with Byrd’s live-in girlfriend. Authorities observed that she appeared to have “low confidence” in several of her replies, and many of her statements “contradicted each other.”
Authorities took Byrd into custody on February 15, and he secured his release by posting a $100,000 bond on February 26. The upcoming court appearance is set for March 24.