Executive News Svc.

UPn  07/24 1048  Woman charged in skateboarder ritual

   MILTON, Pa. (UPI) -- A woman who said she could cast a spell to make a
13-year-old a better skateboarder faces animal cruelty and other charges because
the boy disemboweled a cat to obtain ingredients for the ritual, police said
Tuesday.
   The boy, whose identity was not released by police, was charged with cruelty
to animals in a juvenile petition filed May 14.
   Police said Cathy Rauch, 18, told the youth that witches grant spells in
exchange for animal body parts and made a list of items she needed.
   "In return, I will give any spell I am capable of doing," police said Rauch
wrote on the back of the list.
   The boy told police Rauch claimed she could cast a spell to make him more
adept on his skateboard.
   Investigators said the teenager, after obtaining the list on May 8, killed
and disemboweled a neighbor's cat. The boy said he took the animal's heart and
other body parts to Rauch.
   Police said Rauch admitted giving the teenager the list but denied receiving
the body parts.
   A complaint filed Monday before Northumberland County District Magistrate
William Kear charged Rauch with cruelty to animals, corruption of minors and
criminal conspiracy.
   Police said the items Rauch indicated were needed for the ritual included a
cat's heart, whiskers and teeth, along with blood, human if possible.
   The teenager told police Rauch said she had performed other spells in the
past.
   Members of the boy's family discovered the list of ingredients May 9 and
alerted police. The cat's carcass was found at the boy's home.
   A spokeswoman in Kear's office said Rauch would be issued a summons to appear
Aug. 23 for a preliminary hearing.