World4 min(s) read
Published 15:14 29 May 2026 GMT
A 21-year-old dance teacher and qualified childcare worker has been identified as the woman at the centre of a disturbing incident that has sparked widespread outrage in South Australia.
Gracie Giblin was filmed at Port Lincoln Wharf on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula on Tuesday night swinging a dead kitten by its tail before laughing and throwing it into the ocean. The footage quickly spread online and prompted an investigation involving police and the RSPCA.
Witnesses claimed the incident involved more than just the kitten. According to locals who were present, a deceased rabbit was also thrown into the harbour shortly beforehand, adding to the shock felt by onlookers.
Local teenager Scarlett told Daily Mail Australia she witnessed the events unfold and initially believed the rabbit was alive.
"She was doing laps around the wharf in her car and she had a bunny in a Woolies bag and I thought it was alive at first," Scarlett said.
"She was swinging it around and laughing and said she had run it over earlier and then just threw it in."
Scarlett claimed Giblin later returned to the wharf and told people she had hit a cat with her car.
"She drove back yelling out the window, 'We hit a cat, we hit a cat,' and then she swaps places with her friend and gets in the passenger seat and she says they are going to get it.
"I was worried and my friends and I decided to look for it but before we had chance she came back hanging it out of the window and swing it around by its tail.
"It was just a kitten and she was laughing about it.
"I was just thinking, what kind of person does this. It's disrespectful and we were absolutely horrified.
"Some kids were laughing and videoing and she thought it was so funny, so we called the police."
Scarlett said the behaviour was completely at odds with the person she remembered from local dance classes.
"She was always had a big smile on her face and was so lovely," she said.
"I felt so upset by what I had seen that when I got home I spoke to my dad. The kitten was tabby and we have a tabby cat and I just couldn't forget it."
After videos circulated around the close-knit community, volunteers from Making a Difference Cat Rescue headed to the wharf to search for the animals.
Volunteer rescuer Amanda said they located and recovered both the kitten and the rabbit from the water.
"We couldn't just leave them there so we went to find them and we managed to retrieve the bodies," Amanda said.
"They were both still warm and very floppy. The bunny was very young, smaller than the kitten and it was just so awful to see.
"We decided to name them, Annabelle for the rabbit and Dillon for the little kitten which means ray of hope."
The animals were subsequently handed to authorities as investigations got underway.
RSPCA South Australia confirmed it received a report about the incident.
"RSPCA SA received a report [on Wednesday] morning about an incident alleged to have occurred in Port Lincoln involving a cat and a rabbit, both deceased," a spokesperson said.
"No further comment will be made while investigations are ongoing."
South Australia Police also confirmed officers had spoken with a 21-year-old woman as part of their inquiries.
"Following an investigation police attended at a Port Lincoln address and spoke with a 21-year-old woman," a spokesperson said.
"She was taken to hospital for an assessment.
"Police are liaising with the RSPCA regarding any alleged offences that may have occurred, and investigations are continuing."
A community Facebook group that initially shared the footage later removed the post, stating it had been in contact with the woman's parents and that "direct and decisive action" had been taken. The group also urged members not to speculate while police and mental health services carried out their investigations.
The woman's mother also commented on the post, writing: "It was also not easy for the person going through a mental health crisis."
The footage has generated a strong reaction online, with many social media users expressing anger over the treatment of the animals and questioning why bystanders did not intervene.
According to the report, Giblin has since removed herself from social media.
.webp_SmgFsc?tr=cr-292.0.1244.952,f-webp,q-70,w-100)