WHITE HOUSE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A resident in Sumner County, Tennessee, says she was attacked by her neighbor’s kangaroo, leading to her husband killing the animal.
The incident unfolded Wednesday evening.
Around 5 p.m., authorities responded to the area for reports of two people “who had been in a battle with a male kangaroo,” according to Sumner County Sheriff Tim Bailey.
Reportedly, neighbors spotted the kangaroo outside of its normal area, although still within its owners’ property. At that time, the neighbors called the owners to see if there was any way to get the animal back to its usual confinement.
The owners, Hope and Chris Lea, were not home, but told the neighbors where they could find the kangaroo’s feed to lure it back into its area. They also said they would be home within an hour to take care of the situation.
The neighbors went onto the fenced-in property, where the female neighbor was assaulted by the kangaroo. The husband then stepped in, strangling the kangaroo.
Neither of the neighbors was seriously hurt, but the kangaroo died.
The owners of the kangaroo say they are heartbroken over the death of their beloved “Carter.”
The Leas said they returned home to find Carter dead, with their younger kangaroos around his lifeless body.
“I was screaming because all of the babies were standing around his dead body and I was just so upset,” said Hope.
While the kangaroo was outside of his normal area, the Leas say their property is entirely fenced-in.
“He didn’t have nowhere to go,” Hope said. “He was choked to death in his own space.”
Now, the Leas say they are looking for some kind of restitution over Carter’s death.
“We’ve had Carter since he was a little nugget,” Hope said. “It’s like losing a family member.”