I was a corporate trial lawyer, spent 30 years in courtrooms much of it waiting through criminal dockets.  My pro bono was for an animal shelter (20 years financial and legal work), and advocacy/trial work for abused children, animals and women. 

Most likely Stacey will escalate, and abuse his girlfriend while pregnant and later the baby.  Microwaving a cat is just so warped that further abuse isn't a possibility, it's a statistical certainty.  If Jade didn't protect her cat, she won't protect her baby; she's taken the role of victim (no responsibility, lots of sympathy.) That's the way it works.

This got personal as well. I have a goddaughter Ashley, (awol dad; I'm widowed no children), and since she was 5 I was 'Dad'; she called me daily (boys, friends, and schoolwork; she couldn't talk to her mom.)  But when she had serious abuse issues with her Mom, I stood up for her and won (her mom is very unstable.)  Now she's in 2nd yr college (engineering) doing well, calls me several times a week (still boyfriends, schoolwork) and see her on every holiday/summer (her grandparents and I have a good relationship; they're welcome here, I'm welcome there.)  I was all set to hate her boyfriends but they're all really nice guys.  She's going for a PE but wants to follow up with law school;  I don't like lawyers and I don't think she will, so she's agreed to work in the field first.  PEs make more money and have more fun (my dad and spouse were both engineers, so maybe I'm biased.)  She's growing up nicely, smart, intuitive, and amazingly doesn't rush into sex or relationships. She told my father she could take her time because Dad loves her unconditionally and it's funny watching me try not to be overprotective.  My dad loved Ashley, but I now understand what he meant when he said I'd love being her father but it was gonna kill me in the end.