Teen babysitter who killed Sussex family dog sentenced to 9 months in jail

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) — The young woman accused of brutally killing a dog left in her care during a babysitting gig in Sussex pled guilty Monday at the Waukesha County courthouse.

Kielee Sonnemann, 18, initially pled not guilty by way of insanity, but that plea was denied.

Now, she’ll spend nine months in jail followed by two years of extended supervision.

Investigators said Sonnemann was helping out a close and long-term family friend in January, watching over a 4-year-old child and their 8-year-old chihuahua named Batman.

But when Batman’s parents returned home, he wouldn’t come when he was called.

It wouldn’t be until their 11-year-old returned home from a stay with their grandparents, that they would discover Batman’s body with multiple stab wounds and a bag around his head, underneath a pile of bloodied stuffed animals and blankets in the child’s bedroom.

During a search, officials located a pair of dirtied scissors concealed in a nearby drawer.

During her sentencing hearing Monday, Sonnemann was emotional and apologetic, adding that she loved Batman as her own.

“It is a horrible thing that I have done. I don’t know why I did it and I’m very sorry,” Sonnemann said. “I’m sorry that your kids had to witness that. I’m sorry that you had to witness that.”

But Batman’s family told CBS 58 they don’t believe her tears were real or that justice was fully served.

“We’re very disappointed, and truthfully we were hoping for a longer sentence, at least a prison sentence,” said owner Shelly Ciardo.

“We’re happy that she got something, better than nothing, because if she got nothing, obviously that would’ve hurt us a lot more,” said her husband, Justin.

As part of her sentence, Sonnemann is also required to be sober and continue receiving treatment and therapy for her undisclosed mental illness.