The owners of an exotic animal park and one of its board members have been charged with evidence tampering for allegedly trying to cover up a tiger attack on a volunteer. The owners of Wesa-A-Geh-Ya in Warren County, Kenneth and Sandra Smith, and the board member, Roy Elder, initially led the sheriff’s department to believe that a pit bull attacked the volunteer, Jacob Barr, who had part of his leg amputated after the Aug. 3 mauling. Mr. Elder and Ms. Smith are accused of lying to investigators by saying a dog attacked Mr. Barr. Mr. Smith, who shot and killed the tiger, is accused of participating in a cover-up by moving its body to a different location. Ms. Smith said she had misled investigators because she feared that the park’s animals would be euthanized if the authorities learned the truth.
Missouri: Animal Park Owners Charged
Associated Press
The New York Times