OAK RIDGE NORTH, Texas – Dozens of baby chickens were found abandoned just off campus at a Montgomery County high school.
"It made our heart hurt to see these baby chicks neglected like this, to see these baby chicks thrown over barbed-wire fence to freeze to death," said Hailey Castro, Oak Ridge High school student.
Once Castro and Hannah Kays heard that the chicks had been abandoned, they immediately drove to the wooded area, climbed a barbed-wire fence and started searching.
"We start hearing chirping, so me and Hannah run down this trail, half-blinded in the middle of the dark, and we see there is baby chicks all over the place; some are dead and some are alive," said Castro.
They scoured the ground for the chicks and scooped up the ones that had survived.
"I had a 2-inch thick camo jacket. I unzipped it and started putting little baby chicks in there as fast as I could. We had 13 in there in my shirt. It was just outrageous, I couldn't believe it," said Kays.
Only 13 of the 50 had survived the cold temperatures.
"The ones that we found alive were huddled together trying to stay warm. It was terrible. The dead ones had icicles on them because they froze. It was terrible," said Castro.
Hannah says the chicks were purchased as show chickens for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Students typically buy 50 and raise them for six weeks.
"You buy a pack of 50 chickens and then at the end at the Rodeo you only show three," said Castro.
All of the chicks were tagged, which means it will be possible to trace their origin. Conroe Independent School District police are investigating the incident.
Many students and parents believe a teacher is responsible. The school district confirmed that a teacher resigned Wednesday.