Three US teens arrested for allegedly killing and eating swan
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Faye and her four cygnets swimming in Manlius village pond.
PHOTO: VILLAGE OF MANLIUS NY/FACEBOOK
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Three American teenagers were arrested by the police in New York on suspicion of stealing and eating a mother swan, and abducting four of her babies.
The alleged crime took place in Manlius, a village near Syracuse, where media reports say the mother swan, Faye, was killed while her four cygnets were kidnapped from their pond in the early hours of Saturday.
However, the police report was made only on Monday, said Manlius police chief Kenneth Hatter.
By Tuesday, police had arrested Eman Hussan, 18, and two youths aged 17 and 16, who were not named as they are juveniles, reported CBS News.
All three have been charged with felony grand larceny and criminal mischief, as well as misdemeanour conspiracy and criminal trespass.
“The mother swan was consumed,” Manlius Mayor Paul Whorrall said. “Sad to say, but that’s what they did.”
Hunting swans is legal in a number of US states, but New York is not one of them.
Police said the teens went “hunting” and saw Faye and killed her at the pond. They also stole her four cygnets.
They gave Faye’s carcass to a relative to cook, while they planned to keep the baby swans as pets.
Faye’s partner Manny, the cygnets’ father, was left alone in the pond.
“This was not done because the family was lacking food. It was done because they wanted to hunt what they thought was a large duck,” Mr Hatter told CBS News.
The teens told the police they did not know the swan was a wild animal owned by the village.
Faye and Manny had been swimming in the village pond for over 10 years after they were donated by biologist and self-described “swan guru” Michael Bean in 2010. The beloved birds hatched countless cygnets every spring.
“Swans have been a part of this village for well over 100 years,” the Associated Press quoted Mr Whorrall as saying. “We’re known for our swans.”
Police issued a notice after receiving the missing swan report and multiple tips led the authorities to a store, where two of the cygnets were found. The remaining two cygnets were then found at the home of one of the suspects.
“The cygnets are currently in the care of a biologist, who ensures the health and well-being of the swans for the village of Manlius,” the police said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
As for the suspects, Hussan was arraigned with a court date scheduled for June 15, while the remaining two have been released to their parents with notices to appear in court.
