Two local teens face felony charges over kitten drownings

Two 16-year-old boys accused of drowning a pair of kittens in a cup of water will be staying in a Las Vegas jail until a hearing July 17.

The order came Monday during a hearing in Clark County Family Court. The teens also must undergo a psychological evaluation.

Police say the boys are the first people in Nevada to face a felony cruelty charge since a stricter law was enacted last year. Authorities are also seeking a misdemeanor conspiracy charge.

The boys are being prosecuted as juveniles, and their names aren't being made public.

A neighbor reported hearing animal cries and seeing the boys drown the animals. That was two days after a gray cat gave birth to two kittens in the backyard of a home in northwest Las Vegas.