The most shocking thing here is that the shooter went to jail and had to post bail. I don’t know enough to judge the case, but shooting an animal on your property that is there against your wishes should not result in an arrest and a criminal charge of the resident. At most it should be a civil issue.
Cats, dogs, birds, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, deer and all other animals are ANIMALS and carry diseases, fleas, ticks and such like. Why would a mother not cover and protect her children’s sandbox from contamination? A lot of sandboxes come with covers. Don’t depend on your neighbors to protect your kids. They are too precious and irreplacable.