May 09--A Chicago woman who stands accused along with her daughter of cruelty in the stabbing death of a family cat will be tried in July, according to DuPage County court records.
A July 26 trial date was set Monday for Kelly D. Palermo, 51, who was charged with aggravated cruelty following the animal's death on June 10, 2015, in Elmhurst. Final pretrial hearings are set for July 14, court files say.
Police say Palermo was visiting her daughter on June 10, 2015, at the daughter's residence in Elmhurst, when Kelly Palermo became angry at the cat. She allegedly held the animal down while her daughter stabbed it to death, police say.
Another family member reported the alleged incident to police, and the mother and daughter were arrested and charged.
The daughter, Samantha Palermo, 22, is due back in court later this month. She was declared unfit to stand trial last month and is receiving mental health services on an outpatient basis, according to court records.
In addition to the cruelty count, Samantha is facing domestic violence counts involving family members that took place earlier this year. According to court files, she was ordered to not return to the family home after a Jan. 31 alleged incident, but did so the following day.
When police arrived on Feb. 1, she reportedly struggled with officers, kicking one in the leg and arm. She was subsequently charged with battery and resisting a police officer. She is also awaiting trial on those charges.
