Police: Weymouth teen stomped chihuahua to death
A Weymouth man was held without bail Tuesday after officials say he stomped on his family’s chihuahua until it was unrecognizable before threatening to burn down his family’s house and tossing the dog into a pond.
Shykeim A. Basden, 19, was arrested Monday and arraigned Tuesday in Quincy District Court with charges including animal cruelty, malicious killing and vandalizing property, according to Weymouth Police.
Basden’s father called police Monday afternoon to his Lake Street apartment and told cops he and his son had been arguing outside the house, while the family’s brown chihuahua named Coco was tied to the railing of the rear stairs, Assistant District Attorney Courtney Kiernan told a judge in a teleconference.
Kiernan said Basden’s father turned to enter the house but heard an “odd noise” behind him, and saw Basden “stomping out” Coco.
“He was shocked and frozen in fear,” Kiernan said of the father.
Coco was allegedly unrecognizable and covered in blood after the attack, Kiernan said, and Basden allegedly said he would burn down the house before fleeing the residence. According to Kiernan, Basden’s father said his son had made threats against the dog in the past but he never thought he would attack the animal.
Basden’s brother told police the defendant may have taken the dog to Whitman Pond, where police discovered Coco’s body near Josie Way.
When police arrested Basden hours later near Weston Park with friends, he allegedly had blood on his shoes, pants and shirt.
Basden, who tried to speak during the hearing was told to stop talking, will return to court for a dangerous hearing Monday.