Cyber posse ends up empty-handed as Benton City foal turns up dead

The social media hunt for a missing foal ended in tragedy when its owner discovered it never left.

Joyce Cotten-Roberts shared her most recent message about the 4-month old filly Kit Kat Tuesday morning.

“I am so heartbroken,” she posted on her Facebook page. “We found Kit Kat dead in the bottom of this tire feeder.”

The feeder is an inverted tractor tire.

Cotten-Roberts alerted the social media posse to her missing horse Sunday afternoon. It was shared more than 2,615 times and brought nearly 300 comments from people across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California, and reaching as far away as Texas and Alberta, Canada.

Friends helped spread the word, and reported seeing the animal in Pendleton.

The initial posts and other calls for the thief to return the foal have been taken down from the page, leaving only photos of the animal.

Nearly 630 people commented on her most recent post, most with expressions of sympathy for the Benton City woman.

“This is so heartbreaking,” said Mira Lea Revill-Tardiff. “The little ones can get into so much mischief and danger, even under the most diligent and caring eye.”

Several people noted Cotten-Roberts social media search was not a waste of time.

“You wasted no one’s time dear,” said Margo Nipper Thorpe. “Just sorry it all turn out so awful.”

Source: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article164899167.html