HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Close to 20 Muscovy ducks were found dead in Hallandale Beach, and the way they died is suspicious.

Three different agencies are investigating the case to find out how they were all killed.

In total, 17 ducks were found dead, seven adults and 10 chicks.

Resident Emila Alex was extremely disturbed to witness so many dead birds right outside her home, but then she received an email from condo management stating the circumstances suggest the possibility of intentional harm.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me, like who would want to do that, I have no explanation,” Alex said.

The dead ducks were found along the 1000 block of Parkview Drive, a very heavily trafficked area with people walking with their children and their pets.

“It’s very scary, because there are small children around here, you don’t know what they put down on the ground,” said security officer Coran G.

Everyone in the area is on high alert, not just because of how many bird carcasses were discovered, along with rice scattered nearby, but the question remains as to what exactly happened.

The Hallandale Beach Police Department is leading the investigation while the South Florida Wildlife Center is conducting the necropsies to see what caused the birds’ deaths.

Could it be avian botulism or rat poison? Accidental or intentional?

“There (are) unusual circumstances surrounding this, as well as this particular neighborhood,” said Hallandale Beach Police Capt. Megan Jones. “We are hoping that somebody saw something. We shouldn’t be out maliciously or intentionally trying to eradicate any animal, whether it’s a nuisance or not, so protection of all life is important.”

We are still waiting for the lab reports to come back on the manner of death.

If the deaths are ruled intentional, each one could potentially carry a felony animal abuse charge.

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