Minnesota teen pleads guilty to killing family dog

ALBERT LEA, Minn. (AP) — An Albert Lea teen who pleaded guilty to killing his family’s Chihuahua with a brick has been sentenced to 90 to 120 days in an out-of-home placement.

An Albert Lea Tribune report says the 17-year-old was sentenced Monday after he pleaded guilty to a felony count of mistreating an animal.

A police officer says the dog was found in a pool of blood next to a cinder block. Authorities say the boy had set the dog on the cinder block and used a brick to smash its head.

One of the boy’s brothers told police the suspect had been upset lately because the family had recently given away one of the dog’s puppies.

Police say the boy admitted killing the dog and said he has “unpredictable behavior.”