Arrests made in animal cruelty

The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach is caring for five baby opossums — North America’s only native marsupial — after their mother was allegedly beaten with a shovel in Anaheim Monday.

According to a care center news release, the mother was euthanized after being attacked with a shovel.

The five babies were in the mother’s pouch. Four other opossum babies were found dead in the yard. Lisa Birkle of the care center said the babies are about 1 month old and their eyes are still shut.

“They’re not even old enough to be out of the mother’s pouch,” Birkle said.

A statement prepared by Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez said Lorenzo Oliver, 54, was arrested as an accomplice to animal cruelty after witnesses said his 12-year-old son beat the opossum.

Witnesses called the Orange County Animal Care Services who responded to the scene and called police officers after finding the injured mother and the dead babies.

The boy was also arrested and released into the custody of his mother, according to Martinez. Oliver posted bail and was released.

Birkle said the five surviving babies are in stable condition.

“I feel real strongly that the mother was fighting to save these babies so we’re going to fight for her to save them,” Birkle said.

Birkle said the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center have seen a rash of cruelty to opossums recently.

“We’ve had them hung up and used as piñatas, we’ve had them kicked around as a soccer ball, we’ve had them used in Satanic rituals, there have been all kinds of terrible things happening to them.”

Opossums are wild nomadic animals and should be left alone, Birkle said.

The bodies of the four babies and the mother were at the Orange County Animal Care Services morgue pending necropsy.