Vandals destroy garden grown by New Mexico preschoolers

PORTALES, N.M. (AP) — Thieves have ravaged a garden cultivated by New Mexico preschoolers, striking a school that made national news three years after vandals ransacked a child-planted pumpkin patch. Eastern New Mexico University's Child Development Center said the Portales school's garden recently was raided of its green beans, peas and squash planted by 3- and 4-year-olds before students returned for the summer. Staff discovered the missing plants Monday before taking the children out to tend to the garden. The only surviving plants were an overlooked squash plant on the side, and two heavily damaged bean plants clinging to life, officials said. "When I first saw that the plants were missing, I couldn't believe it," said Lara Vaughan, director of the center. "I thought, 'Who would do that to children and violate their innocence that way'?" Staff had monitored the plants growing to between 8-10 inches. Vaughan said seeds for the plants came from a United States Department of Agriculture grant. No arrests have been made. Wendel Sloan, a spokesman for Eastern New Mexico University, said school officials contacted police and authorities will look at surveillance video. "I sure the people who did this will be caught," Sloan said. In 2014, vandals picked clean the same school's pumpkin patch that also was cultivated by preschoolers. The school's 26 students had studied the pumpkins, weeded the area and watered them since they were sprouts before the patch was raided at night. Two teens later confessed to that pumpkin heist.