This was just on the news here in FL. I don't know anymore details other than they are saying a python strangled a child to death.

My first question is where were the parents? Why was a child around the animal? It's people like this who are ruining things for us!!!

Here is a link to the story:

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/7/1/491283.html

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/7/1/child_strangled_by_python.html

Sounds like the story is just breaking - just what we need - it also sounds like they think the python might have been one of the "wild ones"

Here you go. This is not good.

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/19914383/detail.html

Just LOVE how they turned into an everglades issue!

12-Foot Python Strangles Toddler
Pet Python Kills Toddler At Sumter County Home

POSTED: Wednesday, July 1, 2009
UPDATED: 12:28 pm EDT July 1, 2009



OXFORD, Fla. -- A man woke up Wednesday morning and found his 2-year-old daughter being strangled by the family's 12-foot pet Burmese python, according to Sumter County sheriff's officials.

INTERACTIVE: Map Of Area
RAW VIDEO: Python Caught Last Year | PICS: Invasion

The fatal incident occurred at about 10 a.m. at a residence in the 1500 block of county Road 466 in Oxford, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Orlando.

The snake apparently escaped from its cage overnight and strangled the girl, who was also bitten on the forehead, Sumter County sheriff's deputies said. The girl's father stabbed the snake, which was wrapped around the girl's neck, and pulled his daughter away before calling 911, deputies said.

Emergency workers could not revive the girl.

The medical examiner was called to the Sumter County house, and an investigation into the death is ongoing.

Matt Harrison, a Critter Control employee who has worked with pythons for more than eight years, said the animals are extremely strong.

"A 12-foot snake is kind of like having a truck sitting on your chest. They have enough power not only to asphyxiate you, but to break bones as well," said Harrison, who added that stabbing a python would not force the animal to release its prey.

Harrison suggested throwing alcohol down the snake's throat or running hot water over it to get it to release its prey.

Harrison urged owners to be careful with pet pythons.

"Most (of) the time, as long as you're careful, you don't have anything to worry about, but occasionally, they can turn on their owners," Harrison said.

Harrison said attacks tend to be a feeding response, but he said it is important to keep cages secure and safe, especially when there are children in the house.

Harrison speculated that there are probably more pythons in Florida than anywhere else in the United States.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pythons are a nonnative species to Florida, although some Burmese pythons have been found in parts of Florida.

An invasion of giant Burmese pythons in South Florida that made national headlines last year was "rapidly expanding" and expected to reach Central Florida, according to a University of Florida study.

"There's no part of this state that you can point at and say that pythons couldn't live here," researcher Frank Mazzotti said. "They're capable of incredible movement -- and in a relatively short period."

Most of the pythons were brought over as pets and then turned loose in the wild, he said.

Anyone who comes across a python is urged to call wildlife officials at 888-404-FWCC.

Dammit, this is really not what we need right now. Especially with those whack-jobs pitching their bullspit to the Senate now. :mad:

That's terrible for the family but they should have known to keep it locked up!

Look at the comments people are leaving.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/bizarre/2009/07/girl-2-bitten-and-strangled-to-death-by-familys-pet-python.html

The story seems odd -- will wait to see how it pans out.

Well, I posted my comment! Bunch of idiots on there

Do we really have any chance at all now....

Unbelievable more ammo for the enemy!

My heart goes out to the little girl that was the innocent victim!

In the end I see the big snakes are going to have to be sold responsibly. Even tho that ignorant person was to blame the snake was sold to a man that was irresponsible and everyone is going to paying the price of his irresponsibility right down to the person who sold that idiot the snake. I cant say what type of requirements is needed to sell big snakes but there has to be a way to weed out the irresponsible people if not there are going to be big consequences in the near future.

Do we really have any chance at all now....

I don't think so, really. I really don't.

I don't think so, really. I really don't.

Aren't you by law required to have these chipped or something? Figure you'd know living there.... :dunno:

Yes. I don't know all the details as I don't keep burms or retics. However, you now need a special permit and they need to be chipped.

I think this is going to kill the ownership of large species,even though dogs kill more kids than anything else.Big snakes, burms & retics are going to go.Hate to say that but I think they are going:(.

"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."



Yet how many people let alone children have died from dog attacks since 1980... Just something to think about...

"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."



Yet how many people let alone children have died from dog attacks since 1980... Just something to think about...

Here's something for you to think about, your not welcome here.... take a hike!

To make a point.... In 2007, there were 33 fatal dog maulings in the USA

info taken from... http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/statistics.html



Just sad to see such carelessness and lack of responsibility when our rights as keepers is already on edge as it is with lawmakers trying to ban our animals...

Here's something for you to think about, your not welcome here.... take a hike!

I don't get it, this guy keeps popping up in the most unlikely places. Why?

DId I miss something? :dunno:

If he's not welcome here, why isn't he banned?

Back on topic, I hope people do the math, in the last 29 years 12 people have been killed. At least 12 people a YEAR are probably killed by dogs, so are they going to ban dogs too?

According to the news I saw earlier, they said the python "broke out of the glass aquarium", but I don't know if they KNOW it was kept in a tank, and broke out, or were told "it got out", or what. At any rate, someone did not properly house the snake(which should be chipped, and also they might have been inspected by state officials, were they?).

I'm not sure why all the "wild" population stuff is thrown in there. Has nothing to do with the story. It's like throwing in wolf attack stats when a family dog mauls a kid to death.. totally unrelated.

Look at the comments people are leaving.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/bizarre/2009/07/girl-2-bitten-and-strangled-to-death-by-familys-pet-python.html

WOW.....those comments are pretty harsh! But then again that is the respones I would expect from the average brain-dead American. I love my country, but the vast majority of the population has let their brains go to mush! As for this specific case, I will wait a couple days for things to shake out before I can even think of having an opinion. God knows, the media isn't all that great at get their facts straight in the mad dash to BREAK the story FIRST.

Aren't you by law required to have these chipped or something? Figure you'd know living there.... :dunno:

Your right about that law but like any law it is only effective if it can be enforced. Many legit Florida dealers, breeders, and mom&pop pet shops have stopped selling ROC animals and the ones that do sell them are strict about sticking to the law. The problem is that there are so many out there as individual pets that get sold over and over to people that are so out of tune with the "hobby" that they don't even have a clue about ROC rules and regs. The people that are the worst type of reptile owners, and the ones that seem to gravitate to the Giants are the people that are only into it for the shock factor! Unfortunately, like most that believe in 2A rights, we herpers are also judged by the lowest common denominator.:dunno:

Back on topic, I hope people do the math, in the last 29 years 12 people have been killed.

And we have 304 MILLION people in the US. Now lets put those numbers to a percentage.

No doubt this guy is one stupid SOB and deserves anything he should get, and then some. Poor little girl. :mad:

Just LOVE how they turned into an everglades issue!

12-Foot Python Strangles Toddler
Pet Python Kills Toddler At Sumter County Home

POSTED: Wednesday, July 1, 2009
UPDATED: 12:28 pm EDT July 1, 2009



OXFORD, Fla. -- A man woke up Wednesday morning and found his 2-year-old daughter being strangled by the family's 12-foot pet Burmese python, according to Sumter County sheriff's officials.

INTERACTIVE: Map Of Area
RAW VIDEO: Python Caught Last Year | PICS: Invasion

The fatal incident occurred at about 10 a.m. at a residence in the 1500 block of county Road 466 in Oxford, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Orlando.

The snake apparently escaped from its cage overnight and strangled the girl, who was also bitten on the forehead, Sumter County sheriff's deputies said. The girl's father stabbed the snake, which was wrapped around the girl's neck, and pulled his daughter away before calling 911, deputies said.

Emergency workers could not revive the girl.

The medical examiner was called to the Sumter County house, and an investigation into the death is ongoing.

Matt Harrison, a Critter Control employee who has worked with pythons for more than eight years, said the animals are extremely strong.

"A 12-foot snake is kind of like having a truck sitting on your chest. They have enough power not only to asphyxiate you, but to break bones as well," said Harrison, who added that stabbing a python would not force the animal to release its prey.

Harrison suggested throwing alcohol down the snake's throat or running hot water over it to get it to release its prey.

Harrison urged owners to be careful with pet pythons.

"Most (of) the time, as long as you're careful, you don't have anything to worry about, but occasionally, they can turn on their owners," Harrison said.

Harrison said attacks tend to be a feeding response, but he said it is important to keep cages secure and safe, especially when there are children in the house.

Harrison speculated that there are probably more pythons in Florida than anywhere else in the United States.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pythons are a nonnative species to Florida, although some Burmese pythons have been found in parts of Florida.

An invasion of giant Burmese pythons in South Florida that made national headlines last year was "rapidly expanding" and expected to reach Central Florida, according to a University of Florida study.

"There's no part of this state that you can point at and say that pythons couldn't live here," researcher Frank Mazzotti said. "They're capable of incredible movement -- and in a relatively short period."

Most of the pythons were brought over as pets and then turned loose in the wild, he said.

Anyone who comes across a python is urged to call wildlife officials at 888-404-FWCC.

i agree they alway try to turn it into an everglades issue!

and this is all we need right now

So tragic that the girl lost her life :(


How utterly **** irresponsible, keeping a Burmese of that size, in a 'bag in an aquarium' :mad:. I really hope there are some severe consequences for the parents...


If we had any chance of surviving future versions of HR669, I think sadly it went out the window with this one...we may realize the parents are at fault, but unfortunately no one else will care...the only thing they will see, is all the "dangerous, lethal" reptiles being kept by us...that some may have boa constrictors, other small boa species, small/moderate size pythons, even giants caged/handled correctly, etc. will never even be considered....

Lovely how all the different articles say "pet python", "python" in the body of the text, instead of identifying the exact (giant) species...

I've already had a few people today around town, ask me whether my 'boa pythons' are kept locked up...grrrrrr...I really hate catching hell for other people's monumental stupidity....

I feel awful for the little girl but I'm not buying the story. $5 says that the cause of death ends up being shaken baby syndrome and not snake related.

One of the links I read said there were teeth marks on the child's head. :dunno:


Wouldn't surprise me none if it was something staged like that though. We got some pretty sick people in our country, because they made it illegal to trim the gene pool.

I don't get it, this guy keeps popping up in the most unlikely places. Why?

To taint the forum....

If he's not welcome here, why isn't he banned?



He's not the first to be told to take a hike and not bother coming back - it's the dumb ones that don't get the message that we have to ban....

Your right about that law but like any law it is only effective if it can be enforced. Many legit Florida dealers, breeders, and mom&pop pet shops have stopped selling ROC animals and the ones that do sell them are strict about sticking to the law. The problem is that there are so many out there as individual pets that get sold over and over to people that are so out of tune with the "hobby" that they don't even have a clue about ROC rules and regs. The people that are the worst type of reptile owners, and the ones that seem to gravitate to the Giants are the people that are only into it for the shock factor! Unfortunately, like most that believe in 2A rights, we herpers are also judged by the lowest common denominator.:dunno:

Good point Kevin.... way too many people use reptiles to bring attention to themselves for whatever reasons.

I feel awful for the little girl but I'm not buying the story. $5 says that the cause of death ends up being shaken baby syndrome and not snake related.

It wouldn't be the first time animals have been used to hide a crime, not saying that is the case here.... but just pointing that out.

I don't get it either. He actually made a valid argument. Dogs DO kill more people then Burms do, and yet they focus on the reptile.


So whats wrong with pointing that out? How does it make BLBC look bad? :dunno:



Just curious. Want to make sure I understand how each place I hang out at operates.

I don't get it either. He actually made a valid argument. Dogs DO kill more people then Burms do, and yet they focus on the reptile.


So whats wrong with pointing that out? How does it make BLBC look bad? :dunno:



Just curious. Want to make sure I understand how each place I hang out at operates.

He's not welcome here period - and he knows it, But let's not get off topic on this....

Aye Aye Commander! :yessir:

Aye Aye Commander! :yessir:

I just don't want the focus of this to get into a two and throw thing that has nothing to do with the topic is all... :)

The news just said it was 8.5" long. It's not a very thick burm either. I know nothing about burms. What kind of power does a smaller burm like this have?

Considering it was a two year old, the snake has the power even at about 6 ft.

But, it is sounding more and more fishy. I just saw a video on Yahoo news that showed them handling the snake. It's not big enough to think it could eat a human child.

Video (http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=14266296&ch=4226713&src=news)

It wouldn't be the first time animals have been used to hide a crime, not saying that is the case here.... but just pointing that out.

There was a case in Virginia last year where a man strangles his wife and said the retic did it. The news never retracted the original "killer snake" stories. Go figure

The story seems odd -- will wait to see how it pans out.

I agree, something isn't just clicking in the story for me....

I'm just glad to know I meet the following requirements for being white trash:

1) I'm from Florida
2) I own snakes

The comments certainly helped to detract from this tragedy. This is a real shame... I'm sorry to hear of it happening.

I'm just glad to know I meet the following requirements for being white trash:

1) I'm from Florida
2) I own snakes

The comments certainly helped to detract from this tragedy. This is a real shame... I'm sorry to hear of it happening.

Me too. I live in Florida and own lots of snakes... and dragons, and tegus, and leopard geckos, and torts, and rats, and... :lmao:

Who keeps a Burm in a glass aquarium?? It be nice if there was someone in the news field who would show the proper caging requirements. I probably could escape from a boaphile, Animal Plastics, or Vison cage with locks... how the hell could a snake?

There was a quote on another forum responding to this article.

"I give us 24 months tops before we are talking about how cool it 'was' when we kept snakes."

I have to say, I think he is right now.

There was a quote on another forum responding to this article.

"I give us 24 months tops before we are talking about how cool it 'was' when we kept snakes."

I have to say, I think he is right now.

I read that same quote, but in the back of my head there is that nagging issue that the way our freedoms are being crushed maybe in 24 months snakes might be the last thing on our minds. Bad news like this incedent, is much worse in todays political environment. Also from the comments below some of the coverage of the incedent, we will not have broad support from the general public. Despite the seemingly constant bad news, I still try to be positive and focus on the future of my collection.

I have to say this sound so fishy! I saw that video and I don't think that snake will ever try to eat a 2yr old. May be the kid was playing with it and a few strikes here and there but full blown killing mode...

Either way I feel bad for that little girl.

The snake is not that big at all. The guy on TV could almost wrap one hand around its body.

I guess the autopsy came back confirming asphyxia.

Either way I feel bad for that little girl.

Yes, I agree. This is so very sad.

Couple charged with manslaughter in python-related child death

OXFORD - Two people have been charged with murder in the third degree and manslaughter in connection with the July 1, death of 2-year-old Shaiunna Hare who was asphyxiated by a Burmese python in her home.

Jaren Ashley Hare, 19, the girl's mother, is charged with manslaughter, third degree murder and child abuse.

Her boyfriend, Charles Jason Darnell, 32, is charged with the same three counts, according to a statement just put out by the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.

Jaren Hare turned herself into the Wildwood Police Department at 4 p.m. today.

Darnell, who was already incarcerated at the Sumter County Detention Center on unrelated narcotics charges was also notified of the three new charges at about 5 p.m. today.

The manslaughter, third degree murder and child abuse charges stem from the July 1 escape of an albino Burmese python from a glass container inside the couple's home in Oxford. The snake was later found wrapped around the child's lifeless body.


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...0,427820.story

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/orl-bk-python-death-charges-082409,0,427820.story

It is still horrible but what is even worse is she just had another kid...

Hope the charges stick!

I still say it was something deliberate. A cover up for abuse or something.

We'll see.

I bet they plea it down.
Just a sad sad story.

I still say it was something deliberate. A cover up for abuse or something.

We'll see.

So do I.,...

I still say it was something deliberate. A cover up for abuse or something.

We'll see.
I think if they had any evidence of that they would have filed stronger charges.

I think if they had any evidence of that they would have filed stronger charges.

They would of - just don't have proof of it. It's easy to make a scape goat out of a snake....

They would of - just don't have proof of it. It's easy to make a scape goat out of a snake....
Very true.
It is very possible that something else did happened .
The mother will probably get custody of her baby back. When she is released from jail.
I pray for that child.

Very true.
It is very possible that something else did happened .
The mother will probably get custody of her baby back. When she is released from jail.
I pray for that child.

Sad situation for any child to be in, we may never know what really happened.... unless one turns on the other to get a lesser sentence. :dunno: