A Jackson County, Georgia, family says it is cautiously optimistic after deputies arrested three people in the shooting death of Bootsy, a 400-pound pig who was far more than livestock to 12-year-old Garrett Cox.
As FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Tara Jabour reported, Bootsy had been Garrett’s best friend, his pet and a source of emotional support before she was killed after getting loose from the family’s property last week.
Jabour said three people were being held in the Jackson County jail, all facing the same felony charge: aggravated cruelty to animals.
For Garrett and his parents, Karrie and Matt Cox, the arrests bring some relief, but not closure. As the family told Jabour, they believe the legal process has only moved into its next phase.
“We’re now on to the next phase,” one family member said. “We’re not at the finish line yet for justice for Bootsy.”
Bootsy Was More Than A Pig
In Jabour’s report, Garrett described Bootsy with the kind of affection usually reserved for a close friend, not a farm animal weighing hundreds of pounds.
“She was a very sweet girl,” Garrett said, adding that Bootsy also had what he called a “hungry attitude” when she wanted food or something to drink.
That small detail says a lot about how close the two were. Garrett knew her moods, her routines and her personality, and his family said caring for Bootsy had become part of his daily life.
According to the family, Bootsy helped Garrett in ways that were difficult to measure from the outside. His mother has said Garrett struggles with ADHD that displays as level 1 autism, and the pig gave him confidence, structure and a place to belong through Future Farmers of America.
The Cox family brought Bootsy home about a year ago, and Jabour reported that Garrett spent his time feeding, bathing and running with the animal as he trained her for competitions.
“As Bootsy grew, love grew,” Karrie Cox said in the earlier reporting used for background, describing how her son’s confidence went “through the roof” because of that bond.
That is why the shooting has hit the family so hard. To someone unfamiliar with farm shows or therapy animals, Bootsy may have looked like a large pig that wandered out of a pen. To Garrett, she was part of his recovery, his routine and his sense of purpose.
A Loose Animal, A Gunshot And A Family’s Loss
Jabour reported that Bootsy got loose last week before she was shot and killed.
The family has said Matt Cox went looking for the pig after noticing she was missing while he was putting her away for the night. According to the family’s account, he heard a gunshot nearby and later found that Bootsy had been killed.
The details released so far still leave unanswered questions. Authorities have not publicly explained exactly where the shooting happened, what type of weapon was used or what the suspects allegedly said led up to it.
What is clear, according to Jabour’s report, is that three people are now facing felony aggravated animal cruelty charges in connection with the pig’s death.
The suspects were identified in the written background material as Mai Vang-Moua, Kee Moua and Maysy Moua. The case is now moving through the courts, and the Cox family said it hopes the charges lead to convictions.
“They face consequences for their actions,” one family member told Jabour. “Just like we teach our children every day, there’s consequences, and I appreciate the sheriff’s department making sure that those consequences were swift.”
That statement reflects the difficult balance the family appears to be trying to hold. They are grieving, angry and relieved at the same time, while also trying to help a child understand why something so senseless happened to an animal he loved.
A Child Left Trying To Make Sense Of It
Garrett told FOX 5 that Bootsy’s death was deeply painful, and his family said he is still struggling.
“They treated her in the most disrespectful way,” Garrett said.
It is a simple sentence, but it carries the weight of a child who not only lost a pet but also saw something he cared for treated as disposable. That is the part of this case that makes it feel especially cruel.
Animals used for therapy or emotional support often become anchors in a person’s life. For a child working through social, emotional or developmental challenges, the bond can be even more important because the animal offers consistency without judgment.
In Garrett’s case, Bootsy was connected to farming, school, competitions and his confidence. Losing her violently does not only take away a pet; it disrupts a whole routine that had helped him grow.
Jabour reported that Garrett’s parents are hopeful he may eventually return to showing pigs, but they are not pretending that will happen overnight.
Right now, they say, he needs time.
Community Support Comes From Across The Country
While the Cox family waits for the legal process to continue, Jabour reported that support has come in from across the country.
People have reached out wanting to donate, help Garrett rebuild or offer him another pig when he is ready. His family said the response has been humbling and has helped remind Garrett that the cruelty he experienced is not the only thing in the world.
“We’ve had people reaching out from all over wanting to donate, wanting to help Garrett rebuild,” the family told Jabour.
They said some of those messages have come from people encouraging Garrett not to lose his interest in agriculture or his identity as a young farmer.
“Future farmers, they’re out here,” one family member said, describing the message of support Garrett has received. “Hey, buddy, this is okay. We’re here to support you. We don’t want you to lose that spirit.”
That kind of community response matters because this story is not just about punishment for the people accused. It is also about whether Garrett can reclaim something that was taken from him: the joy of working with an animal, showing it and building responsibility through care.
There is no replacement for Bootsy, and it would be unfair to suggest another pig can simply fix the pain. But a new animal, at the right time, could help Garrett reconnect with the world that Bootsy helped him enter.
The Family Hopes August Brings A New Beginning
Karrie and Matt Cox told Jabour they hope Garrett may be ready by August to step back into the show arena with a new piglet.
That goal gives the family something to work toward, even as the case remains active and the grief is still fresh.
“He can step back in that arena,” one family member said, describing the hope that a new piglet could help Garrett rebuild the bond he lost and “repair his little heart.”
It was one of the more emotional parts of Jabour’s report because it acknowledged both the damage and the possibility of healing. The family is not saying Garrett is fine. They are saying they believe he can eventually be fine, with support, time and accountability.
For now, three people face felony charges, Bootsy’s death remains the center of a painful animal cruelty case, and a 12-year-old boy is trying to move forward without the animal that helped him come out of his shell.
The legal system will decide what happens to the people accused, but the community has already made one thing clear: to Garrett, Bootsy was more than just a pig.
She was family.
Raised in a small Arizona town, Kevin grew up surrounded by rugged desert landscapes and a family of hunters. His background in competitive shooting and firearms training has made him an authority on self-defense and gun safety. A certified firearms instructor, Kevin teaches others how to properly handle and maintain their weapons, whether for hunting, home defense, or survival situations. His writing focuses on responsible gun ownership, marksmanship, and the role of firearms in personal preparedness.
