Kansas varsity baseball team accused of killing a chicken on field; season suspended

The Valley Center High School varsity baseball team is accused of killing a chicken on school grounds before traveling to an away game on Saturday, Valley Center police chief Lloyd Newman said.

The allegation was reported to the school’s resource officer by a high school employee on Monday, and the Valley Center School District suspended the team’s season amid an active law enforcement investigation.

In an email sent to Valley Center parents on Monday afternoon, the district said high school administrators were “alerted to an incident of possible animal cruelty involving the entire Hornet varsity baseball team and the entire coaching staff on USD 262 property.”

Newman said the field is on school property behind 737 N. Meridian in Valley Center.

The baseball team hasn’t played a home game since April 4 and most recently played a doubleheader against Circle and Life Prep Academy in Towanda this past Saturday.

The Valley Center baseball team is 4-12 with 10 games remaining in its season. It was supposed to play a doubleheader against Newton (Tuesday), a single game against Bishop Carroll (Thursday) and a league doubleheader against Andover Central (Friday) this week.

The district said in its email that a decision regarding the remainder of the baseball season will be made “pending the outcome of the investigation.”

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is encouraged to call Valley Center police at 316-755-7325. Findings from the investigation will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Contributing: Taylor Eldridge of The Eagle

Valley Center high school suspends baseball season due to animal cruelty investigation