Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

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StuckinARutt
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Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by StuckinARutt »

http://www.am980.ca/2013/08/05/escaped-python/

thoughts?

My first impression is that the kids must have been messing with, or trying to handle the escaped snake.
I very much doubt that an escaped python would attack sleeping kids. If it was starved in captivity, it would have eaten them, no?
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Here are my initial thoughts:

1. The headline is purposely misleading.

2. There is an autopsy scheduled for the boys. If the autopsy results contradict the misleading headline, they will never see the light of day.
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regalringneck
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by regalringneck »

i dont know Chris, w/ 2 children dead, i'm a bit surprised you'd want to throw stones this early ... seems like a horrible tragedy to me, and as one whose kept a few boas & pythons over the years ... they do in fact try to constrict & eat most anything, including their owners, fairly regularly. In fact im surprised more owners dont get choked out by their 7-8'+ "pets".
I agree tho, if this was a murder, we'll not likely hear the rest of the story.

Condolences to any family & friends.
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by chris_mcmartin »

regalringneck wrote:i dont know Chris, w/ 2 children dead, i'm a bit surprised you'd want to throw stones this early ...
Not throwing stones, just clamoring for more information. The news has already drawn their conclusions. Perhaps they will be validated, but I think we all tend to make up our minds in a variety of situations before getting all the relevant info.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

This is a horrible, tragic story.

Unfortunately, the public's demand for up-to-the-minute news leads to headlines and stories getting published without thorough fact-checking. Rumors also travel through the internet faster than facts. I first heard of this being a boa constrictor, then an anaconda, then an African Rock Python. I have also seen people make assumptions about the owner of the snake and the parents of the children. Human beings also seem to love tragedy, which leads to stories of unusual deaths going viral like this.

As Chris mentioned, the autopsies are supposed to be conducted today, which will hopefully shed more light on what happened. This event is unfortunately bringing out the worst in people on both sides of the coin (snake owners and non-snake owners), and has led to a few flame-outs in comments on social media.

I anticipate getting some questions from people. I think how we respond to people's questions and comments is very important, acknowledging the bottom line: two children are dead. If we get too defensive, there could be an assumption that we don't care about the fact that two children are dead, and only care to defend snakes and our right to own them.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by Kelly Mc »

chris_mcmartin wrote:
2. There is an autopsy scheduled for the boys. If the autopsy results contradict the misleading headline, they will never see the light of day.

Its obvious that the boys didnt die simultaneously of natural causes. They were killed, and there is the horrible possibility that the autopsy will reveal human involvement. Actually that would be the only other possibility.

To think that it will be "brushed under the carpet" if its capital murder instead of a freak accident with a snake is ridiculous, and a little skewed and complex persecuta in social perspective.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Scott Waters has already said what I tried to say in the second half of my post. He said it better.

http://www.herpnation.com/hn-blog/scott ... ott-waters
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Kelly Mc wrote:To think that it will be "brushed under the carpet" if its capital murder instead of a freak accident with a snake is ridiculous, and a little skewed and complex persecuta in social perspective.
The death of two children is tragic, and I think (hope) we can all agree. As to the circumstances surrounding the event, from an international-news perspective, if the snake didn't do it, we likely won't hear the actual cause of death.

Heck, I've even read somewhere that the ceiling had collapsed, and the children may have been crushed, and the snake was incidental (being in the ductwork when it came crashing down). I could assume that information was provided by someone with more proximity to the situation (such as someone watching their local news in the town where this occurred), but hey, it's the Internet.
mwentz
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by mwentz »

Here is another news report. It seems that some details have changed since yesterday.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/06 ... -province/

If I am reading it correctly, the python was not in the pet store, but owned by the apartment renters. Doesn't really change much in this tragedy / incident.

Edit: The apartment inhabitant may also be the pet store owner?

Edit 2: Here is a link that has a little less hyperbole than many others (about snakes, not the tragedy). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/201 ... risks.html
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Terry
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by Terry »

It is up to US to decide if we want to fight with the public or to educate the public. But only if we are calm, collected, and united about how we choose to be perceived. Think about your actions before you post about this terrible story; it matters in that court of public opinion I mentioned earlier. That is a jury we desperately need on our side if we expect to win legislative battles, local ordinance issues, and other public challenges we face as herpers. We need John Q. Public on our side.
Well said.
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by chris_mcmartin »

The plot thickens?


I think the headline in the linked article is as misleading as the original, as the possibility of a murder investigation may be just a procedural necessity, and the cause listed in the article isn't quite clear on how or why it necessarily triggered said murder investigation:
It comes after the mother of the pair posted hundreds of photos of her boys taken last year, playing in and cleaning her neighbours snake cage.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Python kills two kids in New Brunswick, Canada

Post by Kelly Mc »

So you dont think the reporters of these particular articles will be up for the Knight International Journalism Award.

Got it.
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