Andrea Rosebrock 
There is good news in that there have been two arrests in the horrific pitbull burning in Baltimore. Two juveniles were arrested in this heinous and cruel crime that cost the life of an innocent and defenseless dog that was named Phoenix by those who valiantly fought to save her life.
On May 27 around noon in the 1600 block of Presbury St. in East Baltimore, a dog engulfed in flames was spotted by police officer Syreeta Teel. Risking her own life, she smothered the flames and Phoenix was taken for emergency care and treatment. Her body was covered in burns almost 100% and sadly, although initially optimistic, vets had to euthanize the dog last weekend after she took a turn for the worse.
In an act of kindness, hospital staff took Phoenix outside the animal hospital to give her a last bit of happiness in the sunshine and there she was humanely euthanized surrounded by those who grew to care for her so quickly.
This crime galvanized the country and letters and email flooded into police with tips and money for a reward which grew up to $26,000.
Information on the suspects is that they are twin 17-year-old brothers, Travis and Jermain Johnson. Their parents, Charles Johnson and Denise Griffin, maintain the boys’ innocence saying they were only turned in for the reward. They were charged as juveniles with animal abuse and cruelty.
“I know they didn’t do it. I keep hearing different things around the neighborhood about the dog ran up to there. The dog — nobody said the dog was right there. So, I feel as though I know my boys didn’t do it. It’s a reward out and then wasn’t nobody picked up around there until they said something about a reward,” Griffin said.
“The case is still very much open and under investigation, and we are working with prosecutors to go over evidence and bring this case forward,” said Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for the Police Department.
Shortly after the crime, fliers were plasters all over the trash and weed strewn neighborhood on boarded up windows and lampposts.
“You or your neighbors may know who is responsible for torturing this poor dog,” and “Call before someone else does. Do the right thing!” read a couple of the fliers.
Animal advocates and those who were touched by Phoenix’s story were relieved and hopeful when the news of the arrests was released.
“We were all very excited to hear that there was an arrest made, and we’re just hoping there’s justice for Phoenix,” Debra Rahl, programs director for Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter said. “We’re still very sad that she did not make it, but she didn’t die in vain. It raised awareness of what happens with animals here in the city and across the country.”
Rahl says, “Whoever could do this, you have to wonder what they’ll be willing or able to do to a person. It’s so sad you could take a defenseless animal and douse it in gasoline and set it on fire.”
“We’re thrilled to hear [of the arrests],” said Martin Mersereau, director of the cruelty casework division of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. “People who abuse animals rarely do it once and almost never stop there.”
“The biggest mistake here is that people call this a ‘boys being boys’ thing,” Mersereau said. “I do hope they’re charged with felonies for malicious torture.”
Sadly, it comes as no surprise to me that teenagers were arrested for this horrific crime. My only hope is that these are the right people and they are tried as adults and if convicted they are sentenced with all the seriousness that an incredibly cruel crime like this merits. I am so sick of slap on the wrist sentences for animal abusers and anyone who could do this deserves to behind bars! My mind and heart scream out to say more but I just hope this poor girl gets the justice she deserves!
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Parents Deny Sons Involvement in Pitbull Burning
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
boys will be boys? this is not something that boys do, this is something that should be treated seriously and not just a slap on the wrist, but hey what the heck its just a dog right? maybe when its a child or an adult someone will notice
When there is enought money involved the lure is too strong and the “rats come out of the sewer”. Whoever did this isn’t human and should be gotten rid of.
AMEN! This will continue to happen and is always happening somewhere. When the value of innocent life means nothing, there is no saving those with no heart. First it is an innocent nimal, next it will be an innocent child or human being. I would love 10 minutes with these guys. I am a pure “do onto others” person. It would be worth the jail time so this beautiful love would get the justice she deserves. God knows, there is no justice in the courtroom. Something has got to change.
One of the groups I belong to are taking up donations to get Rescue Ink to Baltimore for this hearing or trial whatever it is at this point. Two of our members live in Baltimore and will be present in the courtroom. Rescue Ink was asked to attend and the fella’s agreed, gladly especially Bozco! It was bad enough they did this unspeakable act of the devil, but the adults who were there encouraged them and their laughing hysterically as this poor puppy was screaming is pure Satan! This act is a life sentance in my book. You take a life, you lose the freedom to live yours. When these laws start getting put on the books, maybe just maybe, people will think twice; once on the price tht will be paid for their evil thoughts.
Just the other day in Florida, I heard about 5 classmates 4 were 15 years old and 1 was 13 years old, and they did exactly what these creaps did to Pheonix. Only it was to their classmate, another 15 year old boy. They poured rubbing alcohol all over this poor child and lit him on fire. He was severely burned, the worst kind, 1st degree or 3rd degree, what ever degree is the deadliest, over 60% of his body. Our law makers better wake up and start realizing that people in this country are far from civilized. They are demonic. Their actions are demonic and their deeds are demonic! These people cannot be helped. Any one who can turn their heart and mind to stone means they are dead already. Statues are not a living being. They are just there wasting space and creating yet another burden on society. Just another part of the immoral cancerous tumor that just keeps gettin g larger!
There is no justice no matter what happens to those kids, even if you burn them to death, because they deserve it while Phoenix did not deserve it. Those two kids are evil and no human being should obtain pleasure from watching an animal in pain. I hope someone throws some gasoline on them and get them out of this world. It would be a slightly better place then.
D, you are right, slaps on the wrist makes most of us here sick. I am also tired of parents defending their children, and these are not children anymore, they are young adults, when something so viscious and cruel could be done to an innocent animal, and yes, what would they do to a human, be it a child, or even an elderly person. This is a prelude to more cruelty, be it an animal or a human. They should be tried as adults, and hopefully this has spurned the country into knowing that animal abuse will not be tolerated.
At 17 yrs of age, if they were prosperous young adults, doing the right things, this would not have happened. I just hope this was not some gang initiation type of thing. The whole lot of them should be tried if that was the case.
I’m sick and tired of the slap on the wrist… I’m so sick I’m ready to start hanging them at the end of a rope might just teach the rest to wake up and learn how live right…
The parents seem OK , but they would not make an arrest on hear say , these two worthless pukes deserve incredible pain and suffering . Was this a poor stray , or was there an owner
This story has absolutely broken my heart. I’ve prayed for Phoenix since the day you ran the first story, but in my heart of hearts I knew there was no way she could survive with burns that extensive. Think about how painful it is if you just burn your hand on the stove, and then multiply that by 1000 times, and that’s the pain that poor precious girl was in. These subhumans should have been charges as adults!!! More than likely it DID take the reward to get people to come forward about this, because usually when teenage boys like these monsters are involved, people are afraid to come forward. But money can nudge them over to the side of right, and more often than not, the information is valid. I hope they rot in the fires of hell for all eternity for what they did to this innocent and precious girl. I said a prayer that my Shorty, Judge and all of my other beloved babies who are at the Bridge will be there to welcome her. Rest in peace precious one.
This poor dog never had anything but pain and abuse , what a waste
I agree Bonnie – every time I read a story about an animal being intentionally burned (or even caught in a house fire), it kills me to think of the pain, knowing how even a teeny burn can hurt so much. It’s just so sad that these poor babies have no choice but to accept what someone does to them.
I have been WAITING for the police to find someone responsible for this. JUST WAITING.
As I am sitting here crying over Phoenix, I hope these scum of the earth get tried as adults. The parents probably have no idea what there scum of offspring do. I so hoped Phoenix would have made it. I wished I lived in Baltimore right about now. I would accidently spill some gas on them and set them on fire. They don’t deserve to be in society. At least Phoenix will go to that golden bridge and cross over for God to watch her and she will see all the other babies that have gone on before her. She will be surrounded with love there. These parents should be held responsible too. What kid of POS did they raise? I think it’s time to start making parents of these disgusting excuses for human responsible. Maybe then parents will be aware of what there children do. Is there a Judge that we can write to? If we flooded letters in from all over, maybe he will do the right thing. I think this would be a good idea in all the crimes against animals that I read on here and other sites. When they find out that the whole country knows and they are fed up, then maybe they will look at the crimes in a different light. Hell isn’t even good enough for these POS.
I grew up and live in Baltimore and work downtown. I am a huge animal lover and rescuer who has, as so many others all over the country, been deeply troubled and saddened with what happened to Phoenix. The animal lovers of Baltimore and the entire state of Maryland were devastated about what happened to Phoenix and instantly, so many voiced their feelings and views and wanted these non-humans caught and convicted. We shed our tears (and still do) at her death and the story of how the wonderful people at Bill Smith’s Main Line Animal Rescue in PA took her in, loved her till the end and worked so hard to save her. They even took her outside in the sunshine when the time came to put her to rest to let the poor girl feel the sun on her face one more time so she would know there was some beauty on this earth.
THE PEOPLE OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND and ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE OUTRAGED AND NOW TO HEAR THEY THE TORTURERS WILL TRIED AS JUVENILES IS SHAMEFUL. DON’T LET HER DIE IN VEIN.
Please, I beg each of you who have replied to this site to please send letters, make phone calls and let the city and state government know that these villans need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law – no matter what their age. We need your help – from all over. We need to put tremendous pressure on the goverment to prosecute them as adults with all the consequences so this doesn’t happen again. Please, in memory of our dear Phoenix, and all those before her and all those after her, from Baltimore and all over, let them know we are mad and these villans should pay for what they did. I am pleading for Phoenix’s memory So she didn’t die in vein. Help me let my City of Baltimore and it’s goverment know how angry we are about this brutality. Please write and call, and with your help and ask all those you know who love animals too, to do the same. POWER IN NUMBERS – JUSTICE FOR PHOENIX!
Here are websites for the Mayor’s Office, City Council, Baltimore Police and State’s Attorney. I thank you all for on Phoenix’s behalf.
Mayor’s Office:
Mayor Sheila Dixon
City Hall, Room 250
100 N. Holliday Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Phone (410) 396-3835
Fax (410) 576-9425
Email- mayor@baltimorecity.gov
Baltimore Police Chief:
Fred Bealefield, Commissioner
BCPD
Administration Bldg, 5th floor
601 East Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone (410) 396-2020
Fax (410) 396-2023
Baltimore City State’s Attorney:
Patricia Jessamy
Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City
208 Mitchell Courthouse
110 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
410-396-4001
mail@stattorney.org
President of City Council:
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Baltimore City Council, Room 400
100 North Holliday Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone (410) 396-4892
Fax (410) 396-1111
Email – councilpresident@baltimorecity.gov
Compassion and justice for Phoenix….not those turds that walk around without a heart or soul and cruelly set her on fire to watch her burn in horrific pain. They MUST be tried as adults. There is no other option! RIP beautiful Phoenix
Below is the e-mail I have sent to the Mayor. I hope others on this site follows suit. These POS’s should NOT go unpunished as “ADULTS”!
Mayor Dixon. I implore you. Please, please don’t let the death of the beautiful Pitbull, Phoenix go un-noticed. This burning of a living, feeling creature was far beyond cruel. AND, most likely WILL NOT stop with the burning of a “just a dog”. Next time, God only knows, what innocent living being these terrible ‘young adults’ will torture and murder. Don’t let there be a next time. Please be sure these heartless ‘young adults’ are tried for extreme cruelty and the death of an innocent animal. That was a horribly, painful way for that beautiful girl to have to die. Thank you for listening……..Jessie
RIP sweet Phoenixs. I hope those responsble are delt their just deserts. Many tears are shed for you. Mine are still falling
Qué destrozo le han causado a ese pobre infeliz, que desgraciados los malditos que se dedican a éstas barbaries…Hasta Cuándo tendremos que continuar viendo y difundiendo tales acciones macabras, siempre por causa de los Humanos????… Somos la peor especie que reina en éste planeta, y en cualquier otro existente….allá dónde estemos siempre lo cagamos todo, con nuestras manos…. Es una vergüenza, que tenga que incluirme dentro del mismo saco, sólo por pertenecer a ésta inmunda raza, o especie, la Humana…. Malditos todos los que hagan ésto… El perri NUNCA debió sufrir tal ataque por mano de Humano…Me siento verdaderamente Indignada….Por qué hacen ésto…?????¿¿¿?????..No entiendo DIOS::::
Ok, I caught most of that, but it has been just under 40 yrs since I spoke fluently in Spanish.
Any possibility you could translate into Ingles?
But, to your last sentence, “you don’t understand God” – He is doing the best he can, but it is our judicial system that needs to wake up.