Someone's idea of a "senior prank" at Ponderosa High School turned out to be animal cruelty when a student on the morning of May 10 dropped 45 chicks from a second- floor balcony onto the school's main office area. Seven of the birds died, and an eighth was not expected to survive, officials at the Parker-area school said. "Unfortunately (it was) something students think is silly, and it turns out to be senseless," said Mike Lynch, director of schools at Douglas County School District. "Why would somebody do something like this?" The surviving chicks were taken to a school staff member's home.
School officials are trying to identify the student from surveillance footage. Freshman Brenna McLaughlin couldn't believe what she was witnessing outside her classroom window. "I saw a bunch of things falling, and afterward, I hear they were chickens," McLaughlin said.
Students described seeing blood and lifeless chicks.
School officials said the student who dropped the chicks will face school discipline and the case will be forwarded to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred just before 9 a.m.
After realizing what had been dropped, Lynch said, students and staff were horrified and some made a protective circle around the surviving chicks. Case UpdatesMore than a month after a Ponderosa High School student dropped a bag of quail chicks from a balcony, charges have been filed in the case.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office filed charges with the District Attorney's office against a pair of brothers.
Jason King, 18, who was a student at the time, says he meant to do a senior prank with the help of his brother, Reiford, 25, a Ponderosa graduate.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Reiford brought forty-five baby chicks to the high school and dropped them off the second floor balcony in the main office area. Jason bought the birds and assisted with the prank, according to the sheriff's office.
Six of the baby chicks died upon impact and one died hours later. The remaining chicks were taken to an undisclosed location.
Students who witnessed the incident surrounded the chicks in a protective circle, so other students wouldn't accidentally step on them.
The King brothers are facing charges including cruelty to animals and interference with an educational institution. | Source: 9News - June 29, 2006
Update posted on Jun 30, 2006 - 12:45AM |
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