Teens Accused Of Beating Tame Fawn To Death

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- Two teens are accused of luring in a tame fawn with corn and then beating it to death with a hammer in Camden.

Christopher "C.J." Bearden, 19, and a 16-year-old boy face charges in the fawn's death. The 16-year-old is a juvenile so he is not named. He faces charges in juvenile court.

The fawn named Buckwheat was taken in by a veterinarian and was 6 months old. Dr. James Rocconi told Camden police that someone told him that the boys went on his property and killed the fawn at Camden Animal Hospital on Oct. 17. They then took the fawn's body with them.

Rocconi has taken in several deer and had a pen behind the hospital where kids could feed and pet the deer.

Police say they found the deer's body at the 16-year-old's home. A detective says that he told his grandfather that it had been hit by a car. He says the teen strung it up to process it, but left it out until the next day and the meat spoiled.

Bearden and the other teen face misdemeanor charges of theft, animal cruelty and trespassing. Bearden was arraigned this week and his bond was set at $15,000.