Three teens have been arrested for allegedly killing a swan for family and friends to eat. The female swan, named Faye, was killed at a pond in Manlius, New York. Her four babies, called cygnets, went missing over the weekend.
On Tuesday, Manlius police arrested 18-year-old Eman Hussan, and a 17 and 16-year-old, all from Syracuse, in connection with the incident, the department said in a news release. The names of the two teens have not been released because they are juveniles.
The incident happened at around 3 a.m. on Saturday and was reported to police on Monday, Sgt. Kenneth L. Hatter of the Manlius Police Department's community support unit told CBS News.
"The swan was killed at the pond, and subsequently consumed by family and friends," Hatter told CBS News via email. "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."
The two juveniles have been released to their parents and received tickets to appear in court, according to the press release. Hussan is awaiting his arraignment.
In a post on Facebook, the police department said thanks to multiple tips, two of the cygnets were found at a shopping plaza in nearby Salina. The other two were found at a private residence in Syracuse. All four are now in the care of a biologist "who ensures the health and wellbeing of the swans for the Village of Manlius."
The investigation is ongoing and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police and the Syracuse Police Department are aiding the Manlius Police Department.
The village of Manlius is known for its pond and swans, according to Syracuse.com. Two adult swans, Faye and Manny, were named after a naming contest in 2012, but swans have been a staple in Manlius for decades. Local wildlife biologist Michael Bean donated the swans to the village in 2010 and helps take care of them.
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