Melbourne animal shelter worker allegedly try to sell a human toe that had been eaten by a dog
A Melbourne mother reportedly tried to sell a human toe on the black market after it was bitten off by a dog.
Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 47, from Lilydale in Melbourne’s north-east, was charged last month with indecent behaviour involving human remains after Victoria Police received a tip-off in February.
Police said Ms Kinman was volunteering at an animal shelter, which cannot be named for legal reasons, when a dog vomited up a toe and other bone fragments.
Ms Kinsman is accused of placing the toe and other remains in a jar with the intention of selling them online. Herald Sun reported.
The severed toe belonged to the dog’s owner, who had died of natural causes.
The dog is known to have bitten off its owner’s toe before being discovered and taken to the shelter. The dog’s owner’s name cannot be mentioned for legal reasons.
Ms Kinsman was due to appear in Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. She has not yet indicated whether she intends to contest the charges.
Offensive behavior with human remains can result in a maximum prison sentence of two years.
Joanna Kathlyn Kinman (pictured), 47, from Lilydale in Melbourne’s north-east, was charged last month with indecent behaviour involving human remains after Victoria Police received a tip-off in February
Police allege Ms Kinman was volunteering at an animal shelter, which cannot be named for legal reasons, when a dog vomited up a single toe and other bone fragments
“Detectives from the Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit have charged a woman after she allegedly stole human remains in the Yarra Ranges area in February 2024,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
The 47-year-old was arrested on February 20 in connection with the incident.
The Lilydale woman was charged on August 16 with indecent behavior involving human remains.
‘She will appear in Ringwood District Court on November 7, 2024.’
Two days after her court appearance, Ms. Kinsman posted a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine for sale on Facebook.
“Almost new, only used for 18 hours!” she wrote, alongside several photos of the item.
Ms Kinsman has put several items up for sale on social media in recent months, including an aquarium, a “silent guitar” and 20 James Bond collector cars.
Daily Mail Australia approached Ms Kinsman for comment.