Three teens have been arrested after a much-loved swan was stolen from a pond before it was killed and consumed.
The swan, called Faye, and her four baby swans were captured from a pond from Manlius swan pond in New York on Saturday.
According to Manlius police Sergeant Ken Hatter, a resident saw two of the cygnets in a shop and called the police.
One of the teenagers, who was working at the shop, admitted to the crime, along with two other teens.
18-year-old Eman Hussan was arrested in connection with the swan’s killing, along with a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old.
On Tuesday, police said all four cygnets had been found and are now in the care of a biologist.
The teenagers have been charged with felony counts of grand larceny and mischief, as well as misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and conspiracy.
Hussan was seen smiling at reporters while being placed in the back of a police vehicle.
During a press conference on Wednesday morning, Manlius Police said that Hussan and the other teenagers jumped over the fence in the middle of the night and took the mother swan before killing and consuming it with their family and friends.
Faye was “brought to an aunt’s house and the aunt prepared it,” said Manlius Mayor Paul Whorrall. “The mother swan was consumed, sad to say, but that’s what they did.”
But the friends and family who consumed the animal told officers that they thought it was a very large duck.
The teenagers also told police that they had no plans on eating the baby swans but they wanted to raise them as pets.
The two minors were released to their parents while Hussan was taken to centralized arraignment.
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