AUTHORITIES are working with two children who allegedly broke into the Swan Hill Specialist School and killed 11 pet chickens during the recent school holidays.
Police are alleging that two youths, aged 11 and 12, were caught on CCTV cameras breaking into the locked chicken coup and attacking the animals on September 25.
One has been interviewed and charged while the other is yet to be charged.
Swan Hill Specialist School (SHSS) principal Jodi Walters said the community as a whole was devastated and disheartened by the senseless slaying.
“Our chickens were much loved, they were hand-reared and provided much enjoyment to our students,” she said.
“We are just so thankful that our surveillance cameras captured the offence and we were able to provide police with the footage very quickly.”
The chickens were part of the SHSS Community Garden, a project that was supported by a host of volunteers as well as the kids.
Ms Walters said that the children of SHSS were doing okay and were being supported around the matter. She has also tried to use the horrific crime as a chance to reinforce some valuable messages.
“We have been working at school around good choices and bad choices. In telling the children the shocking news I talked about how these people who did this to our chickens had made some very bad choices and now as a result are bearing the consequences of their actions with the police.”
For more on this story, pick up a copy of Friday’s Guardian (Oct 9).
