A Polish immigrant accused of serially abusing and torturing a female pit bull will be arraigned at Quincy District Court on Tuesday on 11 counts of cruelty to animals and charges of misleading a police investigation.
At a press conference Monday, Quincy police said Radoslaw Artur Czerkawski, 32, was arrested Oct. 23 in New Britain, Conn., on the charges in what has come to be called the “Puppy Doe” case.
The dog was found at a Whitwell Street playground on Aug. 31., beaten so severely she could barely walk. Animal rescue advocates said it was one of the worst cases of animal abuse they had ever seen. She was later euthanized.
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“The Quincy police as well as the Norfolk district attorney’s office have worked tirelessly on this case since its inception,” said Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan. “We took the matter very seriously. It was a grave concern to us.”
Czerkawski was living on Whitwell Street in Quincy with an older woman at the time of the attack, police said. Police said he was working as a caregiver for the elderly but was not a licensed nurse or registered caregiver.
The woman has since passed away. Police do not suspect foul play.
Police said a tip led them to the suspect. Czerkawski was picked up in a New Britain hotel Wednesday and had been held in Connecticut since.
The dog’s injuries included starvation, burns, stab wounds, fractures, dislocated joints, and torture-type injuries to the tongue.
Police said they believe the suspect acted alone. It appeared he had purchased the dog.
Animal cruelty charges are felony charges, and carry with them a five-year sentence, Keenan said.
An assistant district attorney and two detectives were assigned to the case. “It’s hugely difficult [to investigate],” Keenan said. “We had an abused animal that couldn’t speak for itself.”
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Shortly after the Norfolk district attorney released initial details of the investigation on Sept. 19, asking for help in identifying the abuser, tips came flooding into the Quincy Police Department.
By the next day, thousands of dollars had been contributed by numerous organizations for a reward.
The Animal Rescue League raised more than $35,000 additionally to be put toward investigating this and other animal abuse cases.
Jessica Bartlett can be reached at jessica.may.bartlett
@gmail.com.