Snake Strangled Two Year Old

[Jillpie]

Because they're beautiful and exotic. Why own a painting? Or collect antiques?

.

Yes, and an African tiger is also beautiful and exotic, but you don't OWN one. How can you possibly equate paintings and antiques to owning a python that just killed a 2 yr. old? OMG.

Dumb, Dumb, Dumb these owners. Hello, someone forgot to tell them they have three children in their home. Please tell me they won't get the privelege of parenting these poor kids ever again.

 

[alizesmom]

These parents made a choice that was tragic for them. They will have to live with it for the rest of their lives. Separating them apart from all the other parents who made bad choice is unfair. What about the child who drowned in the family pool, or the child who died because the car seat was used improperly (or not at all)? They surely had more data to back up their poor choice. Guns in the house? Alcohol/drug use during pregancy? All dumb and sad. As a wise man once said "He who is without sin cast the first stone"

 

[Jillpie]

These parents made a choice that was tragic for them. They will have to live with it for the rest of their lives. Separating them apart from all the other parents who made bad choice is unfair. What about the child who drowned in the family pool, or the child who died because the car seat was used improperly (or not at all)? They surely had more data to back up their poor choice. Guns in the house? Alcohol/drug use during pregancy? All dumb and sad. As a wise man once said "He who is without sin cast the first stone"

Unfair? A parent that intentionally stores an illegal, lethal animal into their home INVITES danger into their home. They don't deserve the right and yes, privilege to parent. Are you seriously defending their actions of bringing a boa and python into a home with three children, are you for REAL??

 

[luvmy3]

What a tragedy There are just some kinds of animimals that are not meant to be pets, these snakes are one of them.

 

[Acklander]

Unfair? A parent that intentionally stores an illegal, lethal animal into their home INVITES danger into their home. They don't deserve the right and yes, privilege to parent. Are you seriously defending their actions of bringing a boa and python into a home with three children, are you for REAL??

I don't think she was defending their actions, what she was saying is that they paid a very high price for their ignorance/stupidity.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

These parents made a choice that was tragic for them. They will have to live with it for the rest of their lives. Separating them apart from all the other parents who made bad choice is unfair. What about the child who drowned in the family pool, or the child who died because the car seat was used improperly (or not at all)? They surely had more data to back up their poor choice. Guns in the house? Alcohol/drug use during pregancy? All dumb and sad. As a wise man once said "He who is without sin cast the first stone"

I see these all as valid points....

Unfair? A parent that intentionally stores an illegal, lethal animal into their home INVITES danger into their home. They don't deserve the right and yes, privilege to parent. Are you seriously defending their actions of bringing a boa and python into a home with three children, are you for REAL??

I don't think she was defending their actions, what she was saying is that they paid a very high price for their ignorance/stupidity.

Right...
I can't imagine the pain and guilt they feel. Criticizing their poor decisions wont bring their child back.. If you placed your child in the crib and went to water your lawn, and came back to your child who had gotten out of the crib and fallen down the stairs, or heaven forbid drowned in a toilet, wouldn't you feel guilt for leaving them in the first place? Throwing the 'illegal' pet into the verbage doesn't make the story any less or more tragic when you have lost a child.
And, no.. I wouldn't have a snake like that with MY children..... MY choice.

 

[ckay87]

Unfair? A parent that intentionally stores an illegal, lethal animal into their home INVITES danger into their home. They don't deserve the right and yes, privilege to parent. Are you seriously defending their actions of bringing a boa and python into a home with three children, are you for REAL??

Sounds like she is just feeling some compassion and I agree.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

A large python got out of his aquarium enclosure during the night and strangled a two year old girl. When the owner entered the child's room this morning, it was wrapped around the baby. The owner stabbed the snake and got it to release the child, but it was too late.

The owner faces possible charges because he did not have a permit to own the snake. Florida requires a permit to own a python or a boa constrictor.

What a tragic event. I just don't understand why people want to own these big snakes. It's not like they are a real affectionate pet. What a mess.

Okay...I had an ex-friend that had a python and when he married his wife and she got pregnant, the one thing he made sure of was that his snake could NEVER escape unless HE took it out. UGH!!! That poor child! And you can't fault the snake, it was just doing what they do.

 

[Camicar]

According to a snake expert from Gatorland, the only thing a python cares about is finding something to eat. It will do everything possible to escape its enclosure to search for food. He said that they are incredibly strong and, in his opinion, should never be kept as a pet.

.

I saw a snake show once and afterwards there was a Q&A and some guy who thought he was tough asked a question about keeping pythons as pets and the snake expert really went off on him. This was a long time ago and I still remember the expert saying that pythons are "killing machines 24/7" and asking the guy about why he'd want to bring a killing machine into his home with his wife and children. I remember him saying that NO enclosure is truly foolproof as long as humans have access to the enclosure since there is always one human in the group who is a fool.

Sadly, we now have evidence of his assertion in the form of a dead baby.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

The mother and the live-in boyfriend are obviously complete idiots....they didn't even have the cage locked nor did they have a license to own the snake (required if the snake is over a certain size, which this one was.) They should be charged with negligent homicide. I feel bad for the little girl, of course but I have absolutely no sympathy for parents this stupid. And for the poster that mentioned other stupid things that parents can do (such as not using car seats), that lack of sympathy extends to them as well. The most important thing a parent can do is protect their children. If they purposely make a stupid decision (whether owning an exotic animal and not keeping it locked in a cage, not making their kids use seat belts, not using or having a car seat, accessible guns in the house - not just guns in the house - the accessibility is what makes that decision stupid, or leaving a young child where they can possibly get in a pool alone) they have completely failed in their job.

 

[GeorgeG]

That happened just outside The Villages.

I've never understood the wackos who keep snakes as pets. I don't understand a lot of the things people do. But, I'm sure a lot of people don't understand me.

 

[laurie31]

Wow, it wasn't even in a proper cage at all - just an aquarium with a quilt over it. How was THAT going to contain a large snake?!

The video also said they found drugs in the home. Apparently these people were making bad choices on more than one front. Poor baby. How horrible her last moments must have been.

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

Poor baby. How horrible her last moments must have been.

That was the first thing that crossed my mind...how scared she must have been in her last moments That just breaks my heart. That poor baby.


The parents obviously made some bad decisions and now unfortunately, they have paid the ultimate price

 

[kc10family]

This is so very sad.

 

[happygirl]

I think this parents should be charged with something.

IF it had been a dog that attacked this baby they would be charged.

 

[Renesmee]

The boyfriend lost a two year old 5 years ago? Anyone know the story on that?

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I'm not finding that fact anywhere but it would be interesting to know what happened. It looks like the boyfriend may face child endangerment charges....but in my opinion, the mother should as well. She allowed the situation to exist in her home.

 

[TnTsParty]

I won't even attempt to listen to the call....

I didn't want to hear the call either but it was on the news this morning - so heartbreaking. I feel sorry for the family even though they did a stupid thing by keeping the snake but regardless of that stupidity that doesn't take away the hurt and pain of loosing the 2 year old baby. You could hear the heartbreak in the dad's voice (I am assuming the guy who was calling on the 911 tape was the dad) Its such an awful thing that happened and hopefuly it will never happen again.

 

[Feralpeg]

From listening to the 911 call and seeing the family interviewed on the news, I think they are truly distraught. I started this thread because so many people think it is cool to have exotic pets when they really don't know anything about them, nor how dangerous they can be. I don't want to start anything here, but it seems that ever since we started to hear about pit bull attacks in the news, this breed of dog has become very popular. It is almost like people think it is cool that they can own something dangerous. They think they can control it. Obviously, in many situations, that is not the case. Please, please, think about the possible consequences before deciding to have a pet that is known to be the type that can be very dangerous.

 

[Candy30]

The poor baby. Also the parents are going to pay the price and have that cloud over them.

I understand how some love these type of animals. My son loves reptiles and when he was a Zoo teen would always volunteer to hold the big python. He was helping the handler one day with the python and it wrapped around the handler's leg. The handler was bruised pretty bad but imagine if he was alone. They hosed him with hot or cold water. I can't remember which. Every since then he has been very careful and deeper respect for the animal because he couldn't pull him off.

I think person's that have them should remember that they are wild animals and take every precaution. I would not have one in my home (even when son begged). There are so many cases where owners let their guard down and you can never do that with animals.