Warning: This story contains content that may distress some readers.
A Melbourne woman retrieved a dead man’s toes from an animal shelter bin, thinking it was “cool” and that she could sell them online for $400, a court has heard.
In a case described as “astounding” and “distressing” by a magistrate, Joanna Kinman was convicted but dodged a jail sentence on Monday.
The 48-year-old mother of five from Lilydale, in Melbourne’s east, pleaded guilty to offensive conduct involving human remains.
The Ringwood Magistrates’ Court heard Kinman, 48, was working as a ranger at a Melbourne animal shelter when two dogs were brought in last year.
Prosecutor Melissa Sambrooks said the dogs belonged to a man who had been dead for “some time”, and that his pets had eaten some of the corpse before it was discovered.
The dogs “became ill and vomited up human remains” when they were taken to the shelter, the officer said.
Kinman, who worked at the facility, retrieved the “clearly identifiable” human toes from a bin and took them home.
Search found toes preserved in jar
The following day Kinman called her daughter, boasting about the souvenir and that she intended to sell the dead man’s toes online, the court heard.
“She explained that she had researched it and thought she could get about $400 for them,” Ms Sambrooks said.
In a police interview, Kinman admitted taking the toes and that she intended to sell them or give them away.
“I thought, cool, it’s a toe,” she told detectives.
During a search of Kinman’s home, police found the toes suspended in a jar of liquid preservatives on a shelf. Kinman had also displayed a guinea pig trotter, a bird skull, an alligator claw and her own children’s teeth.
The court heard Kinman was an “avid contributor” of a Facebook group where specimens were traded. Police said she had previously sold “wet specimens” of a stillborn puppy and kitten and was in possession of a book titled A History of Punishment and Torture.
Detective Andrew Austin said the dead man’s son was aware of what Kinman had done with the remains, but that other close relatives were not told because they would have been too distraught.
Magistrate describes offending as ‘astounding’, ‘entirely odd’
Before Monday’s hearing, Magistrate Andrew Sim warned people in the court that details of the case included “confronting” and “distressing” evidence.
He described Kinman’s offending as “astounding” and “entirely odd”, saying he was puzzled how she could believe her actions wouldn’t land her in trouble.
Defence lawyer Rainer Martini said it was natural for the community to be “repulsed”, saying his client had lost her job at the shelter after her offending came to light.
“Well that’s hardly a surprise,” the magistrate responded.
Mr Martini said his client was regretful and had suffered abuse after media reporting about the case.
“It was a purely spur-of-the-moment decision and the consequences have been significantly negative to her,” Mr Martini said.
Magistrate Sim sentenced Kinman to an 18-month community corrections order, saying others needed to be deterred from committing similar crimes.
“By the barest of possible margins you will not be going to jail today,” he told Kinman.
“You were dealing with body parts of a deceased person. That person would have expected they would have been treated with dignity and respect by any person who came into contact with their remains. You failed to do that.”
The maximum penalty for offensive conduct involving human remains is two years in jail.
Kinman made no comment outside court.
