Cow’s Tongue Left at Welfare Office Investigated as Threat

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies are trying to determine whether a bloody, painted cow’s tongue found dangling on the entrance to a welfare office, with the names of 14 employees pinned to it, represents a cult threat to the county workers.

The tongue was found on the door about 6 a.m. by arriving workers at the Lancaster office of the Department of Public Social Services at 349-B E. Ave. K on July 28, Deputy Paul Ullman said Monday.

A spokeswoman for the social services office declined to comment.

The tongue had been painted yellow and pinned to it were scraps of paper bearing the names of office employees, Ullman said.

“We’ve been hearing reports that it’s part of the Santeria religion,” he said.

Ritual animal sacrifices are part of Santeria, which originated among slaves in the Caribbean. It is estimated that 70,000 people practice Santeria in southern Florida.

But investigators have been unable to determine whether Santeria is involved and no arrests have been made, he said.

“We don’t know if a crime has been committed at this point,” Ullman said. “We’re still trying to determine what crime may be involved by leaving the tongue.”

Ullman said that one of the workers whose name was pinned to the tongue reported finding a severed dog’s head 100 feet from the worker’s house. But, “The person told us there is a coyote problem in the area and the dog’s head could be connected to that,” Ullman said. “We’re checking everything out.”