Ben Madilynn
- Case of Canton woman accused of eating cat has become a part of online presidential campaign chatter.
- Video falsely claims Canton woman is Haitian immigrant in Springfield.
- Springfield city manager says there’s no evidence of any cats or other pets being harmed or eaten by the Haitian immigrants.
- Canton woman pleads not guilty by reason of insanity in alleged animal cruelty case.
CANTON ‒ The ongoing court case of a 27-year-old Canton resident accused of killing and eating a cat has become an unlikely part of the debate over presidential campaign issues, at least among some people online.
A Cincinnati Enquirer story posted online Monday said some people are conflating her August arrest with unsubstantiated rumors alleging that Haitian immigrants in the southwest Ohio city of Springfield are eating pets.
A video posted on YouTube falsely purports to show police officers confronting a Haitian woman in Springfield about eating a cat.
In reality, the video actually shows police department bodycam video of Canton officers at the scene of the Aug. 16 incident in Canton. The video posted by the “Fake News Network” carries the title “Haitian Woman Eats Neighbour’s Cat in Springfield.”
In response to rumors spread on social media, Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck, through his office, released a statement Monday saying there’s no evidence of any cats or other pets being harmed or eaten by the Haitian immigrants. This was in response to rumors spread on social media, including by Republican vice presidential candidate and U.S. Senator JD Vance of Ohio.
Despite Springfield’s efforts to debunk the pet-eating rumors, some politicians continued Monday to spread the false narrative. The presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump, on the social media site X, posted “President Trump will deport migrants that eat pets.”
Ohio woman accused of eating a cat lives in Canton
The Canton woman accused of killing and eating a cat has no known connection to Haiti or any other foreign country.
Allexis T. Ferrell is charged with cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony. It is alleged she killed the cat by stomping on its head before eating it.
Stark County court records show she has faced other charges in the past, including theft and misuse of credit cards and endangering children. Her adult court record goes back to 2017 in Stark County.
“Ferrell was first arrested in Canton in 2011,” Canton police spokesman Lt. Dennis Garren wrote in an email on Tuesday. “We have no reason to believe that she is not a US citizen.”
The Stark County Prosecutor’s Office said she is a U.S. citizen.
Springfied officials:‘No credible reports’ of crime by Haitian migrants in Ohio
Canton woman accused of eating cat pleads not guilty by reason of insanity
Ferrell is being held in the Stark County Jail. Her bond is set at $100,000.
She has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Her attorney has requested an evaluation to determine her sanity at the time of the alleged offense and whether she is competent to stand trial.
Stark County Common Pleas Judge Frank G. Forchione is scheduled to hold a competency hearing on Oct. 15.
The alleged incident of animal cruelty took place in the 1100 block of 13th Street SE at Jackson Sherrick Homes, a public housing complex owned and managed by the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority. Ferrell lives in the complex.
Animal cruelty charge:Canton woman accused of killing, eating cat after ‘stomping its head’
The Cincinnati Enquirer contributed to this report.
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.
