An 18-year-old Dearborn resident is facing felony charges after police say a family dog was beaten so badly it later had to be humanely euthanized. Officers responded to a home on Chicago Street after multiple 911 calls, where they found the animal, described by police as a 2-year-old pit mix, with severe and catastrophic injuries. The dog was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital in Allen Park, and veterinarians determined it could not be saved, so it was put down. The suspect remains in custody and faces felony-level charges, according to police.
Arraignment and charges
Police arrested Singin Nelson, 18, and prosecutors charged him with second-degree killing and torturing of an animal and an animal-cruelty count. He was arraigned before Wayne County District Court Judge Sam Salamey. A judge set bond at $250,000, and Nelson is due back in court on June 10, as reported by MLive.
Police detail injuries and response
Dearborn police say officers arrived at the Chicago Street home after the 911 calls and found the dog with what they described as "severe and catastrophic injuries." Officers transported the animal to an emergency hospital in Allen Park for treatment, where it was later humanely euthanized because of the severity of its trauma, police said.
"Our officers were confronted with an extremely disturbing case of animal abuse, and this level of cruelty will not be tolerated in our community," Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said, according to MLive.
What the law says
The charges carry significant legal exposure. Michigan law makes the intentional killing or torturing of a companion animal a criminal offense, and penalties vary by the degree of the offense. The statute outlines first-, second-, and third-degree killing or torturing offenses and treats malicious or intentional infliction of pain or unjustified killing of a pet as a felony, per the Michigan Legislature.
Next steps and reporting
Investigators say the case remains under review, and the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is handling the charges. Nelson is scheduled to return to court on June 10. Anyone with information or video related to the incident is asked to contact Dearborn police through the city's non-emergency channels or tips line. More information on reporting is available from the City of Dearborn.
