Lioness dies at OKC Zoo
Bridget, an African lioness who made news when she sprouted a mane, has died, the Oklahoma City Zoo announced Thursday.
The 18-year-old showed signs of lethargy and a lack of interest in food Tuesday morning.
On Wednesday, zoo staff observed that she appeared to be in pain.
During an exam, fluid buildup was discovered around her heart, indicative of heart failure or infection.
Given her age and severity of her condition, the decision was made to euthanize Bridget, the zoo said in a statement.
Bridget made news last month because she had grown a mane, something female lions don't have. Pictures of Bridget and her mane were featured on the BBC and in USA Today and the Washington Post, among others.
Blood test results identified elevated levels of hormones from what was believed to be a benign tumor that developed in one of Bridget’s adrenal glands.
Throughout the process of identifying this hormone condition, veterinary staff reported Bridget’s overall health was excellent for her age. African lions typically live 14 to 15 years in the wild, but are under threat from poaching and habitat loss, which often shortens their lifespan.
The zoo now is home to four African lions, including Hubert, 6, and Bridget's sister, Tia, 18. Twoyear-old sisters Moto and Dunia arrived at the zoo last month from an Oregon zoo.
TULSA — A judge will hear testimony after an internal police report found that an Oklahoma detective "grossly mishandled" evidence while investigating a quintuple death case.
Chief Public Defender Corbin Brewster discussed the internal affairs report during a court hearing last month, saying it appears former Broken Arrow Police Det. Gayla Adcock also violated legal requirements regarding the disclosure of evidence to attorneys.
Brewster said Adcock acquired the evidence in December 2015, but he wasn't made aware any of it was missing until October 2017.
Adcock resigned this year during an investigation over her actions when a hard drive with potentially significant evidence became lost on her watch.
The evidence was related to the case of Michael Bever, 19, who faces murder charges for the 2015 stabbing deaths of five family members and an assault charge involving a sibling who survived the attack, the Tulsa World reported.
Police have said the teen and his older brother, Robert Bever, fatally stabbed their parents and three of their younger siblings in 2015. They said a 2-yearold sister was unharmed.
District Judge Sharon Holmes will hear from Adcock and Assistant District Attorney Sarah McAmis on Tuesday to see if evidence related to the internal investigation will be admissible in trial.
The judge said she will likely make a ruling on that issue following the Tuesday hearing.
Michael Bever has pleaded not guilty to five counts for first-degree murder. His trial is scheduled to begin April 16.
Robert Bever pleaded guilty in 2016 and was sentenced to life in prison.