Teen refugees from Myanmar charged after killing, eating beloved swan in upstate New York village

The teens, refugees from Myanmar, have since been criminally charged with grand larceny, criminal mischief, conspiracy, and criminal trespassing, and may face additional punishments from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

According to LocalSYR, police were notified of Faye and her babies' disappearance on Memorial Day, and launched an investigation.

The three teens allegedly climbed over the fence surrounding the Manlius Swan Pond sometime between midnight and 3 am on May 28 before approaching Faye and killing her. She had been nesting at the time, and did not put up much of a fight.

"They did ultimately consume the swan," Manlius Police Sergeant Ken Hatter said during a press conference, "but I don't know if that was more cultural beliefs or not. They didn’t really get into that. We didn't ask specifically … but it did occur."

He went on to explain that the teens told authorities they believed the swan was simply "a very large duck," adding that one of the teens had a hunting license and that, "they did not know that it was not a wild animal, that is was actually owned by the Village of Manlius."

As LocalSYR reports, the teens allegedly brought some of the babies to the store he worked at the following morning, though there has been only speculation when it comes to to whether they were planning on keeping them as pets, or selling them.

One of the teens, 18-year-old Eman Hussan, is set to appear in court on June 15, while dates for the other two have yet to be released.

Manlius mayor Paul Whorral lamented the loss of the town's beloved swan, but remained adamant that he wouldn't let it ruin the tradition.

"We've had swans for over 100 years and we're going to continue to have swans," he said. "It's part of this village. It's a branding we have for this village. If you drive through the village, you’ll see swan emblems and signs and banners everywhere."