Florida woman nearly drowns cat, allegedly told witness she was 'taking it to Jesus'

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A Florida woman is facing animal cruelty charges after nearly drowning her cat, three days after the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to make animal abuse a federal crime, police say.

Edgewater police say they received a call about a woman harming her cat. When they arrived, they found 37-year-old Amanda Goodwin in a drainage culvert "holding a cat in obvious distress."

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Amanda Goodwin, 37, is facing animal cruelty charges after nearly drowning her cat, police say (Volusia County Sheriffs Office)

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that Goodwin and the cat were both wet and muddy, with the feline shaking and terrified.

“She was shoving the cat's head in the culvert pipe and putting dirt on the cat,” Fox 35 Orlando quoted a witness as telling police. “I’ve never seen a cat pant like a dog. Its gums were white.”

Goodwin told officers that her cat, "Hubble" was hot and she was just trying to give him some water after the pair were locked out of her house by her grandmother, the outlet reported.

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A witness who talked with Goodwin told officers that she wasn't making much sense.

“I asked if she was okay and she told me she was taking the cat to Jesus,” he said, according to Fox 35.

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Hubble was taken to the Edgewater Animal Shelter. He is not believed to have any permanent injuries.

Goodwin was charged with animal cruelty and was taken to the Volusia County Jail after being evaluated by local fire rescue for chest pain, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.