Joanna Kathlyn Kinman, 48, narrowly avoided imprisonment as she left court in Melbourne, Australia on Monday. The Australian woman had faced jail time for her involvement in attempting to sell two human toes, regurgitated by dogs at the animal shelter where she worked, on the black market.
Kinman was not present at the shelter in Victoria when the dogs disgorged the toes and other remains in February 2024. The dogs had consumed parts of their deceased owner’s body after he passed away from natural causes, with the owner remaining unidentified. Kinman confessed to police that she had taken the toes from a bin, preserved them in formaldehyde at her home, and intended to sell them online for up to 400 Australian dollars ($253).
Following a tip-off, authorities found an assortment of bizarre items at Kinman’s residence, including an alligator claw, a bird skull, a guinea pig trotter, and her children’s teeth. She was revealed to be a member of a Facebook group called “Bone Buddies Australia,” where such specimens are exchanged.
At Ringwood Magistrates’ Court, Kinman pleaded guilty to offensive conduct involving human remains. Magistrate Andrew Sim handed her an 18-month non-custodial sentence, comprising 150 hours of community service. Sim expressed disbelief at Kinman’s behavior, labeling it as “astounding” and “entirely odd.”
Kinman’s lawyer, Rainer Martini, conveyed his client’s remorse to the court, mentioning that she had lost her job and endured public humiliation online. Despite the sentencing outcome, Kinman remained silent when approached by the media outside the courtroom.
