posted on August 26, 2001 07:05:00 PM new
If someone had told me this I would have doubted them. Even in the news it is hard to believe. Pennsylvania Girl Attacked by Python Dies. I never thought a python could be deadly to an 8 year old, sadly the parents may not have either.
posted on August 26, 2001 08:40:10 PM new
That's pretty bad. I can't imagine how guilty these parents must be feeling right now....especially seeing that that's the 2nd child to die in their family. That's very unfortunate.
posted on August 26, 2001 08:46:46 PM new
hmmmmmmmm
I know boa constrictors wrap themselves around people to kill them.
But this story smells of other things. I saw a program the other day in which a family had lost 5 babies to SIDS. One was 2 years old! The doctor kept saying there were different ailments causing the children's deaths, some as young as a month old. He wrote research papers on the kids and SIDS. One was even an adopted child!
Mom had gotten away with it for years until someone noticed that they could be homicides. They were. She was convicted for all deaths and sent to jail.
This story will be an interesting one to watch. Two children from the same family, both "accidents." Sorry - I'm very skeptical.
posted on August 26, 2001 08:49:36 PM new
JMHO2, I have to agree. I owned Boa's and Pythons, and I can never recollect them ever trying to squeeze the life out of anyone. I was bitten once, though. My hand smelled like the critter I was feeding Gollum, and he was molting. But other then that....I wonder.
Rick
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on August 26, 2001 08:58:29 PM new
A 10 foot python would indeed pose a danger to an 8 year-old, especially if she were petite. The size ratio makes it entirely possible for the snake to start thinking in terms of "prey." And they don't "squeeze the life out of people"...constrictors suffocate their prey by tightening their coils a bit more every time the prey exhales, making it impossible to draw in more air.
If I had constrictors that large & there were small children in the house, I'd be very careful to see that they were housed securely.
As for the other child's death...sad, yes, but not really all that sinister. Much as we really hate to face it these days, accidents do occur. And families have been known to lose more than one child to them.
posted on August 26, 2001 09:03:09 PM newbunnicula, I must agree with you, and offer my apoloigies to whomever I may have offended with my posting. It has become very difficult, in this day and age, to not be a fault finder when things like this happen. BTW, when I got married, my wife said she would not have kids if I kept the snakes (that ment no nookie for me). They left after our second week of marrage. It's been great, but there are days when I wonder if I should've kept the snakes...
Rick
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on August 26, 2001 09:27:27 PM new
There was a story a while back about a young couple that had a Boa. The wife was pregnant and the snake coiled around her belly while she slept and had a bite hold on her rearend. I think the story said it was a 12 foot snake.
They actually had to cut the snake's head off before they could uncoil the snake from her.
She lived and the baby wasn't harmed. But if this event had occurred when there was no help around, it could have easily proved fatal for the woman.
People have forgotten the abilities and instincts of animals. Too many "wildlife experts" make stupid statements like ' the animal won't harm a human unless threatened' etc..
We rid the wildneress of wolves, bears, aligators, coyotes, wildcats and such for a reason. These animals are opportunists when it comes to killing humans, and given the chance they will.
While it seems rustic and really "neat" to reintroduce these animals into populated areas, it is just a matter of time before you hear about a youngster being eaten alive by these preditors.
Unless you want to keep your young children indoors at all times, you will not allow coyotes, wolves, and bears to live or be reintroduced into your living area.
posted on August 26, 2001 09:31:15 PM new
You're probably right JMHO2. Sounds like the dad bought the snakes intentionally as a cover for his hidden desire to suffocate his children.
posted on August 26, 2001 09:34:44 PM new
My brother had a huge snake, too. He thought it was funny that I would not let my children go into his house while the snake was lost somewhere in the house. Of course, I wouldn't even go near the house with my fear of snakes.....
I sent him the link to this story.
I, too, fell there is much more to this story. Two freak accidents to two children in the same family? I doubt it.
posted on August 26, 2001 10:49:20 PM new
The "snake did it" story sounds suspiciousssssss. But IMHO, Mr. Mountain should have already been arrested and charged in the death of the three-month-old. To leave an infant in a position where there exists a possibility -- nay, a likelihood -- that he would roll over on her amounts to gross negligence and depraved indifference.
posted on August 26, 2001 10:55:17 PM new
Reamond- As far as I know, there is not a single documented case of a wolf attacking a human in this country. This is info from several wolf conservation groups I have been involved with.
Wildlife are not opportunists, killing humans just cause we're there. We have encroached on their environment. A wildcat cannot tell the difference between a small deer, a family pet, or unfortunatly a small child. Bears have been disrespected for years by the common public, by feeding them from their cars and basically socializing them. We are then shocked when they attack a camper. In the case of the 94 year old woman in NM who was alledgedly killed by a bear in her home, neighbors interviewed said that she would throw out scraps for the wildlife that roamed through her yard. The wildlife living area has dwindled, and as a result, they become more common in what we consider our living area. It is a complex problem, and I don't believe that it can be solved simply by eliminating these animals from the planet. I just wish people were as tough on the 2 legged predators that roam our neighborhoods, as we are on creatures who don't kill for thrill, simply for survival...
As for people that keep wild animals as pets, as long as they ALWAYS respect what the animal is capable of, are knowledgable in the needed care for the animal, and provide a safe environment for it and all concerned, then more power to them. It's the ones that think that Joe, the 14 ft Bumese python, is a member of the family and can eat at the table with the kids...that chills me to no end.
JMHO...
edited to add-I just noticed Reamond said that people want to reintroduce these animals in populated areas. No conservation group wants their animals set in populated areas. It defeats the whole purpose. They set up conservatories, and sanctuaries. When we go tromping off in these areas, hey...every man and beast for himself, eh?
[ edited by ConnieM on Aug 26, 2001 11:01 PM ]
posted on August 26, 2001 11:01:49 PM new
spazmodeus, so you think he's suffocating his own children - the most recent by his own hand, then wrapped the snake around her neck to make it look like an accident?
posted on August 26, 2001 11:21:11 PM new
kraftdinner,
Could be. Though strangling with his hands would leave telltale evidence. Maybe he was more creative, used some kind of implement to simulate constriction. He's not stupid, that's for sure. He's already gotten away with killing one of his kids.
posted on August 27, 2001 12:43:00 AM new
Oh sure, such things never happen, right? If I had suggested that Susan Smith strapped her kids into their car seats and let the car roll into a lake where it took the car six minutes to sink, six minutes in which those two little boys screamed and cried as the water rose around them until finally the screaming stopped ... if I had suggested such a thing while everybody else was searching for the mythical black carjacker, you probably would have said "Oh brother ..." then too.
Open your mind, bunnicula. This world is full of evil people. Two kids in one family, both dead by asphyxiation under unusual circumstances in less than a month? I don't believe in coincidences.
posted on August 27, 2001 01:18:35 AM new
Um...the other child died 5 1/2 years ago, not "less than a month" ago. The other child--a 3 month-old--died because the father rolled over on it in his sleep (something that has happened to other parents). *This* child (8 years old) was found by the mother with a 10 foot python constricting it. Not really a lot of similarity, there.
As for all the evil people in the world. Yes, there are quite a few. But there are a lot more people who aren't evil. There are parents who kill their own children--but the vast majority do not. And coincidences happen all the time.
posted on August 27, 2001 02:46:14 AM new
Think we could pitch in to rent a snake for Spazmodeus? Some snarling feral dogs? Maybe an all expenses paid vacation to that notorious beach in Florida?
posted on August 27, 2001 05:29:16 AM new
REAMOND - There are coyote, alligator and other animals very much adapted to living in suburbia. If you let your young children or pets out where they are not watched you are asking for them to disappear.
I was driving one day in an urban area and saw a huge hawk swoop down and scoop up a little dog in a persons back yard. It was a real struggle for it pumping like crazy to get back up and clear the electric wires but it did it.
posted on August 27, 2001 05:32:03 AM new
Kraftdinner, your sarcasm supercedes your smarts. Did you read the other comments about that article or did you just read the article and come here to tell what few of us that COULD be right that we're wrong.
It's odd that both spaz and I thought it was less than a month. Then I went back to read the article again and it was 5 years. Must have been written somewhere that it was less than a month, maybe another news story??
I'm sorry, there are so few incidents where a parent rolls over on a child anymore unless the parent is such a heavy sleeper that he/she doesn't know when they're laying on another person. If mom knew he was that kind of a sleeper, why did she allow him to sleep with the baby? Was she even home? Where was she the second time when the snake got out? No cover for the tank? Was it secure? Too many unanswered questions which is why they're having an autopsy. Stranger things have happened, but this one reeks of child killers.
I agree with spaz. If I had suggested that Susan Smith strapped her kids into their car seats and let the car roll into a lake where it took the car six minutes to sink, six minutes in which those two little boys screamed and cried as the water rose around them until finally the screaming stopped ... if I had suggested such a thing while everybody else was searching for the mythical black carjacker, you probably would have said "Oh brother ..." then too.
But then again, we have those that believe OJ Simpson is totally innocent.
I guess the coroner will rule another accident and Dad will get off once again.
posted on August 27, 2001 05:43:19 AM new
I was always told never to leave a child with an animal they couldn't control, or an animal larger than the child. Guess someone should have told these people that.
posted on August 27, 2001 06:23:28 AM new
There was a case not long ago in which a heavy woman rolled over in her sleep and smothered her husband. Little town in Wisconsin, I think it was.
posted on August 27, 2001 06:24:47 AM new
Gravid - you are 100% correct that these animals are opportunistic. We had an incident this week where a neighbor let his two dogs out to do their business before he went to bed for the evening. He's been doing this every night for years. Unfortunately, only one of the dogs returned. His beagle was grabbed by coyotes right on the edge of their property and dragged over the invisible fence. This is in a Connecticut suburb 35 miles outside of NYC. Every spring the newspapers issues warnings to keep small pets and young children away from wooded property lines between 4PM and 7AM which is when coyotes feed.
Wild animals are wild animals regardless of whether we choose to keep them as pets. That child never should have been near that snake without adult supervision.
posted on August 27, 2001 06:29:50 AM new
I find it very farfetched that parents would kill their child by simulating a snake constriction. Not that I don't believe parents kill their children, sure they do, but to do it this way would seem ridiculously convoluted.
Here's a story that seems much more suspicious to me - and even this one I wouldn't be sure it wasn't an accident, though I do think if two of your children had drowned in a particular lake, you'd be extra careful with your third one...
http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa100199.htm Of the 515 deaths, 121 were reported to be due to a parent, caregiver or sibling rolling on top of or against the baby while sleeping. More that three-quarters of these deaths occurred to infants younger than three months.
However, incidents such as these aside, a quick search of the Net will show you that there is a movement advocated by many parents & doctors called the Family Bed. Hmmmm. Probably evil parents getting together to plan the deaths of their children full of the gleeful knowledge that they can get away with it....?
posted on August 27, 2001 08:07:39 AM new
My 5 slept with us until a certain age. Not once did my husband or I roll over on any of them. We were both very much aware of their presence even in our sleep.
If anything these parents should be charged with keeping uncontrolled snakes = gross negligence on their part.
I don't know much about snakes and their "activities" but I would think the little girl might have seen the thing in the kitchen. Could it have attacked without her even having any forewarning? I honestly don't know which is why I ask. If it was that large, I would hope she was aware of it and could have screamed, run away, etc. How does a snake that large sneak up on someone and wrap themselves around their neck without the person knowing until it was too late?
No smart answers are necessary, such as the snake wasn't wearing his tap shoes, etc.
Thanks.
posted on August 27, 2001 10:05:00 AM new
You're right JMHO2, I was being sarcastic. In the article uaru provided, I didn't see any hint of evidence that this might be a murder. If you've read other articles that point to the parents then you have every right to feel the way you do. I guess I'm the one that's surprised that you and spazmodeus would draw this conclusion so quickly as you're usually not like that.
Anyway, try not to let my sarcasm get to you....it's a defect I was born with.
