The snapping turtle who was allegedly fed a puppy by a high school science teacher was euthanized, Idaho State Department of Agriculture officials announced Friday.
“The snapping turtle was euthanized humanely,” an ISDA representative said in a news release.
According to KSTU, the snapping turtle was euthanized because it’s considered an invasive species in Idaho and science teacher Robert Crosland didn’t have a permit to have it. The turtle was reportedly seized on Tuesday and euthanized the same day.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Crosland, a teacher at Preston Junior High School, is accused of feeding a puppy to a snapping turtle in the presence of three students. While Crosland indicated that the dog was ill, authorities have not confirmed whether the dog was dead or alive when it was fed to the turtle.
The alleged March 8 incident is being investigated by local police but it’s not yet known whether the educator will face charges. It is still not known who reported the incident to police.
Marc Gee, Preston School District 201 Superintendent, indicated that the incident occurred after school and was not part of any school-sanctioned program.
Franklin County prosecutor Vic Pearson said in a statement Tuesday that “law enforcement turned over the incident reports regarding their investigation into my office for review of potential animal cruelty charges against the teacher involved.”
Citing a conflict of interest, however, Pearson told the Idaho State Journal earlier this week that he’s turned the case over to a prosecutor in a neighboring county who will determine if Crosland will be criminally charged.
Preston Junior High School had a heavy police presence Thursday after a Facebook post surfaced threatening violence against the district, according to the Idaho State Journal.
“Preston City Police Chief [Mike] Peterson and Franklin County Sheriff [David] Fryar have met with district administrators and have determined that the threat warrants continued police presence as a precaution, but that it does not pose a credible threat to the safety of our students,” Gee said on the district website.
Preston Junior High School previously denied CrimeOnline’s request for comment while calls and emails to Preston School District remain unanswered.
It’s unclear whether Crosland has been placed on leave following the alleged incident. It’s also unknown whether the school district is conducting their own investigation.
[Featured Image: Robert Crosland/Preston Junior High School]
