Python kills toddler

[KatsMeow]

updated 6:42 p.m. ET, Wed., July 1, 2009

OXFORD, Fla. - A 2-year-old girl apparently was strangled Wednesday by her family's 8-foot-long pet Burmese python, officials said.

Shaunia Hare was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m. ET, Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said.

Charles Jason Darnell, the snake's owner and the boyfriend of Shaunia's mother, said he discovered the snake missing from its terrarium and went to the girl's room, where he found it on the girl and bite marks on her head, Caruthers said.

Darnell, 32, said he stabbed the snake until he was able to pry the child away, and then called 911.

"The baby's dead!" the sobbing caller from the house screamed to a 911 dispatcher in a recording. "Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby."

"She got out of the cage last night and got into the baby's crib and strangled her to death," the caller said.

Authorities removed the snake from the home Wednesday afternoon. Once outside the small, tan home, the snake was placed in a bag and then inside a dog crate. The snake was still alive.

Owner did not have permit
Darnell did not have a permit for the snake, which would be a second-degree misdemeanor, said Joy Hill, a spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

He has not been charged, but Caruthers said investigators were looking into whether there was child neglect or if any other laws were broken.

NBC affiliate WESH reported that Darnell told deputies he left the snake in a bag in the terrarium just before the family went to sleep.

The python was one of two snakes in the home — the other is a 6-foot-long boa constrictor. Both snakes are alive, Carruthers said.

Two other children also lived there, WESH reported.

The Humane Society of the United States said including Wednesday’s death, at least 12 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

Pythons are not native to Florida, but some residents keep them as pets, especially Burmese pythons, which can grow to more than 15 feet and weigh more than 150 pounds.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31684161/ns/us_news-life/

[Big]

I read about that, soooo sad.

[MuscleScience]

Such a shame!!!

[*RAGE*]

It is sad that the parents did not take better care of keeping the snake locked up

[Mooseman33]

fuk that, the parents, or i should say the mom and her boyfriend should get locked up....that snake escaped the cage before...who the hell needs 14 feet of snake in their trailor with 3 little kids in house...

neglect

[quarry206]

you know what sucks... it seems like this happens in Florida A LOT.. I have lived in Florida all my life, and it seems like every single time something like this happens its in Fl

[*RAGE*]

fuk that, the parents, or i should say the mom and her boyfriend should get locked up....that snake escaped the cage before...who the hell needs 14 feet of snake in their trailor with 3 little kids in house...

neglect

after reading my post it did not come out the way it should have and yes they should be locked up and beaten..

[Bojangles69]

This may be a dumb question but a few days ago I was watching animal cops in houston and they found a 16ft burmese python in someones pond in Florida.

The guy said because its 16foot they cant rerelease back into the wild.
But I'm curious what the cut off is if any knows?

If I see a 1foot garder snake in Jersey I freak the fvck out, you florida peeps are outta your g/damn mind between the alligators and 8ft pythons. Just move to the Brazillian rain forests if you like living in fear of being eaten every day..

[KatsMeow]

you know what sucks... it seems like this happens in Florida A LOT.. I have lived in Florida all my life, and it seems like every single time something like this happens its in Fl

Yeah this is only about 5 mins from my house, it's the next town over...it's pretty sad. I would never have snakes like that in my house with children, I wouldn't have them in the first place but the mother shouldn't have let her boyfriend move them in.

[stpete]

Didn't she move her kids in with him? Either way, she should of never had those kids near any damn snakes!! Especially that one. The boyfriend said he stabbed the snake but the bitch was still alive when the cops showed up. That mother ****** would of been in pieces if it were me. Then i'd tell the cops to take me to jail.

[Hoggage_54]

Whenever I hear stories about people who flush their snakes down the toilet, I always get scared to take a shit

[KatsMeow]

Didn't she move her kids in with him? Either way, she should of never had those kids near any damn snakes!! Especially that one. The boyfriend said he stabbed the snake but the bitch was still alive when the cops showed up. That mother ****** would of been in pieces if it were me. Then i'd tell the cops to take me to jail.

I'm actually surprised that the story made it to media, I did an internship with the Sumter County Sheriffs Department and they usually do not let ANYTHING get to the media, so I'm guessing someone called the news stations about it, probably one of the fat dispatchers.

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Whenever I hear stories about people who flush their snakes down the toilet, I always get scared to take a shit

[KatsMeow]

holy hell....I would hope someone put him there just to take a picture

[stpete]

Fat dispatchers.....hahahahahaha.....

[higherdesire]

I am not sure what is worse, the killing or the fact that the snake is still alive. I mean how is it not so much potted meat by the time anyone shows up! I would go so ape shit crazy that anyone would be crazy to be near at the time, much less the culprit.

[jbm]

[scerpico22]

damn, thats a sad story. what a shame...

irresponsible mom...period.

[cubnlynx]

Those animals shouldn't be kept as pets when they are that big some of them weigh 200 pounds or more a child has no chance to fight a thing that big off. Giant snakes shouldnt be kept in houses around children in the end they are still an animals

[hrbp9501]

fuk that, the parents, or i should say the mom and her boyfriend should get locked up....that snake escaped the cage before...who the hell needs 14 feet of snake in their trailor with 3 little kids in house...

neglect

NEGLECT, I agree. And I hope they put both of them in jail and throw away the key!!! Sad story. RIP little one.

[Matt]

This is why snakes are banned from the UK.....

[MMArmour]

I strangle infants all the time! wtf is the problem???

[Matt]

I strangle infants all the time! wtf is the problem???

Hahaha lol where you been???

[MMArmour]

Hahaha oh u know. Off doing the life thing. Real life is everywhere it turns out. Been busy and got alittle tired of AR for awhile. How ya been?