Posted on 04/29/2004 9:29:54 AM PDT by Don W
The Inhumanity by Humans By PHILIP FEROLITO YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
WHITE SWAN — Parents and students shocked over the recent bludgeoning of about 35 FFA show pigs — in which two died — urged school officials to take swift and stern disciplinary actions.
"I want to feel reassured that you as a school won't look the other way in terms of pressing charges," said Colleen Wentz, whose children's pig died in the tragedy.
The five children who broke into White Swan High School's barn Friday and tortured the pigs with canes, axes, knives and hammers could face charges of first-degree animal cruelty, a class-C felony, and second degree burglary, said Mike Laws, supervising attorney for the juvenile division of the Yakima County Prosecutor's Office.
However, Yakima County Sheriff's deputies must conclude their investigation before charges are filed, he added.
"I think we'll probably get something filed by the end of the week," Laws said.
Meanwhile, parents and students upset over the incident packed Monday's school board meeting and asked the board what measures could be taken to prevent the attacks from ever happening again.
"This is not childish behavior; this is much more serious than that," said resident Jim Morford. "This is a wake-up call and we better deal with it for everyone."
"Their purpose was to torture them, sodomize them," Colleen Wentz said, noting that her daughter, Kayla, hasn't slept since the incident. "When I saw them in the police car afterward laughing, waving ..."
Four of the students involved were only 12 years old, and one was 13.
School officials assured that disciplinary measures would be taken but couldn't comment on the extent pending the investigation.
"I really feel that it is our responsibility to take care of your stuff and make sure it's safer," said school board member Kip Ramsey Jr.
The school is currently looking at reimbursing students for their losses, Ramsey added.
Kevin Higginbothan, a student who owned one of the slain pigs, figures he's out about $310 for the loss of his pig.
"I've had the pig since December, and I worked with it ever since."
Not only does that include spending time with the animal, but also cost of feed and straw.
Students and parents filtered into the school barns Monday, helping nurse injured pigs back to health. Two pigs are receiving antibiotics for their injuries.
One of Kayla Wentz's pig, Stevo, died. However the other, Weeman, who was hit several times on its hind end with an ax, survived.
"We didn't expect him to pull through, but he did for me," she said.
After receiving its medication Monday, Weeman crouched in the corner of its pen, shaking as if it were cold.
"It's pretty disappointing," she said, while staring at her pig. "You know, it's different — it's almost like taking care of your own kid. It's almost like them killing your own baby."
The two pigs that died were found brutalized in their pens while the others were scattered throughout the area, Lewis said.
One couldn't stand because its hind end was torn open and head beaten with a hammer, Lewis said.
Another pig had roughly 10 to 15 penetrating wounds to its rectal area, Lewis added.
Several other pigs bore scratches, scrapes and bruises, and students aren't sure how many may be accepted into this week's livestock show in Toppenish.
"I'm thinking that a good portion that are here will be fine," said White Swan agriculture teacher Scott Lewis. "Ultimately, it will be the veterinarian's call."
Shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, parents and students showed up to help corral the pigs, clean up the blood that was smeared throughout the barns and comfort the traumatized pigs.
"This is bad representation for White Swan," said senior Serena Watlamett, who has two pigs and requested that students meet with the school board to come up with ways to prevent such instances. "Right now, there are a lot of people who are angry because (the suspects) are so young. You can't just put them in jail."
Despite the tragedy, folks in the community have supported the students, donating straw for new bedding and offering to hold fund-raisers to help compensate students' losses, Superintendent Mary Hall said.
"Everyone's going to pitch in so the kids aren't left without anything," she said.
There is enormous attention paid to the crimes of advanced sociopaths (which is good).
But this is where sociopaths are born, and grow up.
I think the boys who did this should be horsewhipped.
Not because it would delight me (it would), but because it MIGHT make it possible that the course of their character development that led them to this place could be interrupted.
And it might make it possible for the other childen to grow up believeing that justice can be done.
Hell you can't.
In all cases where I have personally known children who tortured animals, they ended up later treating people no better.
Decades ago, a "troubled child" tortured and maimed one of my pets. He later grew up to be a burden to the "Justice" system and to society.
I hate myself, and feel dirty, after all this time, for not killing the little bastard as I should have.
I don't usually favor passing more laws, but this kind of crime screams for extra legislation. Juveniles who commit these atrocities should be monitored for life.
Requiring unremovable electronic ankle bracelets monitoring their every movement would be a good start.
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