Killing of 3 ducks

**dapples** · 05-04-07, 08:17 PM

Killing of 3 ducks alarms Kansas school

A sixth-grader stabbed to death a mother duck and two ducklings that had
nested near a school, distressing the other children and alarming officials
who said the boy needs mental health treatment.

Students at Wilbur Middle School had named the mother duck Lucy and were
monitoring her and her brood, making sure no one disturbed the nest in a
grassy creek bed. Their mutilated bodies — stabbed with a pencil — were
found this week.

An announcement over the public address system led the boy to admit the
killings, officials said. They said he had also talked about the act to
classmates and didn't understand why it was wrong.

The boy, whose name was not released, was suspended Wednesday. His return
to the school will hinge on a hearing.

School officials were responding "the way we do whenever we believe that a
child might be a risk to himself or others," said Liz McGinness, who
coordinates the district's mental health crisis team.

She said his parents were being told they must seek outside mental health
care. "We really don't mince words on this," she said. "We know that animal
cruelty is a very serious, significant behavior."

No decision has been made on possible criminal charges. Killing mallard
ducks is illegal this time of year, and even in hunting season, the way
they were killed would be illegal, officials said.

Mark Rankin, assistant director of law enforcement for the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks, said the boy may not be charged because
of his age. A hunting violation charge could bring an adult up to seven
days in jail and a $250 fine, while animal cruelty carries up to a year in
jail and $10,000 in fines, he said.

Kris Meckenstock said his seventh-grade son helped monitor the nest and
"just can't believe somebody could be so mean."

"By the same token, I think that kid obviously needs help," Meckenstock
added. "My thought is, we need to look a little bit further and find out
why somebody would have those tendencies."

Wilbur students and staff held a ceremony Thursday "to share their grief
for these animals," McGinness said.

**Ducky** · 05-04-07, 08:27 PM

What a horrible way to die.

Yeah, that kid needs help, and check into his home life and find out why he has no empathy and couldn't understand why this was wrong.

**iso607** · 05-04-07, 08:29 PM

A sixth grader, so that makes the boy what, 11, 12 yrs old? Sounds to me he was being a mischievious boy, not a serial killer. I'm sure the act did cause alot of concern to the other students but I doubt any of them will have any serious life altering setbacks due to this. Don't get me wrong on this, I'm not saying it's ok what he did, only I don't feel it is as serious as the school is making it to be. If it were my son, a real good "butt whooping" is in order, but Judging from this one incident I can't see him needing proffesional help, yet. Now if this is not his first violent act, that makes it a different story.