A Florida teen who was caught on video drinking an alcoholic beverage with a baby alligator has been charged with animal abuse, authorities say.
The incident took place in a parking lot outside a mall in Plant City, Florida Thursday, authorities said.
The teen was arrested and charged after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission caught wind of a viral 15-second video posted on social and opened an investigation, WFLA reported.
The video shows the teen picking up a baby alligator, placing an alcoholic beverage can in its mouth, and chugging it before dropping the animal on the pavement.
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“The lack of respect and responsibility shown toward this animal was disappointing to see….this serves as a strong reminder of the consequences of such behavior,” the FWC said in a statement.
Following the incident, Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation president Vernon Yates told WFLA he could see "multiple things in there that are just wrong."
“In my opinion, everyone they got on video that touched it needs to be brought in front of a judge, and then the judge needs to take some serious points of view to use as an example,” he added.
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Yates concluded the gator did not look "very lively" in the video and suggested it may have suffered more abuse prior to the video.
“There’s got to be something better they could be doing with their time besides tormenting some poor little alligator,” Yates told WFLA.
In a statement, FWC said the gator was later released into a local retention pond and is alive and well.
