High school lacrosse players charged in guinea pig death

GROSSE ILE, MI -- Two high school lacrosse players have been charged with animal cruelty after the death of a guinea pig.

Michael Roth, 17, and Tanner Coolsaet, 18, are accused of killing the animal before a game this past spring.

In a release to The Detroit News, Wayne County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Maria Miller alleged, "Two team members, Coolsaet and Roth, arrived at the meeting location and produced a box containing a guinea pig," Miller said in a statement. "Coolsaet had a knife and slit the guinea pig's throat. Roth grabbed the guinea pig and struck it with a small bat. The animal died shortly thereafter."

The Wayne County prosecutor called the incident much more than a youthful prank, station WDIV reports.

The lacrosse team's season has since been cancelled.