DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has filed charges against four teenagers from a church in Pella who have confessed to beating a raccoon to death.
DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins said the incident happened Saturday night at Ledges State Park.
Baskins says the teens were on a church youth group camping trip with the Third Reformed Church in Pella.
Investigators said the teens made a crude snare to trap the raccoon and managed to catch it.
The teens told authorities that they didn’t know how to free the animal, so they beat it to death. Another camper called authorities.
All four were charged with the illegal trapping and killing of wildlife. They are identified as 18-year-old Frank Ahrens of Montezuma, 16-year-old Brenna Leighton of Pella, 16-year-old Tyler Holtrap of Otley and 15-year-old Jacob Gleason of Leighton.
