A judge on Monday set a $7500 bond for a woman accused of injuring a baby duck taken from a fountain on the Las Vegas Strip.
Destiny Reyes, 29, was arrested on two counts of deliberate or malicious cruelty, maiming, or mutilating an animal. According to court records, one of the counts has been withdrawn.
Officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department came to the Venetian Hotel and Casino on June 9 at 12:15 p.m. after receiving a report of a lady going into the Venetian Fountain and grabbing a duck, according to the report.
The duck was eventually identified as a baby duck, and it is referred to as “Daffy” in the police report.
The woman, subsequently identified as Reyes, departed with Daffy but returned shortly thereafter. Hotel security said that she was tossing the duck back and forth.
When officers arrived, they found Reyes, who was “immediately uncooperative,” handcuffed her, and took the duck from her hands. Police reported that the duck’s right wing looked to be injured.
Metro officers attempted to speak with Reyes, but she was “uncooperative, belligerent, and refused to talk about the incident,” according to the arrest report.
Surveillance film captured Reyes strolling with the duck, throwing it from one hand to the other, hurling it into the air, and keeping it in the air while “forcefully” shaking it back and forth.
At one point, Reyes loses control of the duck, which falls to the concrete. According to the arrest complaint, Reyes was also witnessed hitting the duck with her fingers and forcing it to expand its wings.
She appeared in court on Monday, June 15. During her court appearance, lawyers on both sides debated on the appropriate bail amount based on the accusations and charges.
In court, the prosecution recounted what Reyes allegedly did to the duck based on security footage and interviews with witnesses. Lawyers also noted that Reyes has a prior conviction for “violence against a human.”
The prosecution requested $40,000 bail, while the defense maintained that Reyes is “currently jobless,” living with her parents, and “couchsurfing.” The defense asked that bail be set at $6,000.
The defense attorney also mentioned that both of Reyes’ parents were in court, and her father is a police officer.
A Las Vegas judge ordered that bail be set at $7,500. In addition, Reyes must wear an electronic monitor and cannot be in the presence of any animals.
Her next court appearance is planned for June 30 at 9:30 a.m.
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