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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Pet Python Strangles 2-Year-Old

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(Newser) – A 2-year-old Florida girl was strangled to death yesterday by a pet python owned by her mother’s boyfriend, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Charles Darnell noticed that his 8-foot-long albino Burmese python had escaped from its aquarium when he awoke yesterday morning. He found it on top of the girl in her bedroom and immediately began stabbing it.

The girl, who had a bite mark on her head, was dead when emergency crews arrived. Police are questioning Darnell, who could face child endangerment charges, in addition to a misdemeanor for owning a python without a permit. Darnell also has a 6-foot boa constrictor, but its container was secure. Two other young children also live in the house.

Police remove a Burmese python from a home in Oxford, Fla. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.
Police remove a Burmese python from a home in Oxford, Fla. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ocala Star-Banner, Bruce Ackerman)
Police remove a Burmese python from a bag in order to measure it after removing it from a home in Oxford, Fla. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.
Police remove a Burmese python from a bag in order to measure it after removing it from a home in Oxford, Fla. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ocala Star-Banner, Bruce Ackerman)
Police measure a Burmese python after removing it from a home in Oxford, Fla. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.
Police measure a Burmese python after removing it from a home in Oxford, Fla. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ocala Star-Banner, Bruce Ackerman)
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11 comments
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Citrixguy
Jul 2, 09 12:17 PM CDT
WHO THE F**K KEEPS A 8 FOOT PYTHON ANYF**KING WHERE NEAR A BABY?????? Reply
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+16
DavoMax
Jul 2, 09 12:33 PM CDT
that's what the F*** I want to know!!! That sh*t was "cool", and "awesome" till someone had to die. I swear I hate snakes!! Reply
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+1
schmidtkoff
Jul 2, 09 12:37 PM CDT
it seems that people get these exotic animals without any knowledge of how to care for them. this is tragic in that the the animals invariably suffer and meet with death because of the ignorance of their owners. this child's death was the result of the ignorance or the snake's owner. wild animals are wild..they are not pets and cannot be tamed despite our hubris in thinking that they can be. leave the wild to the wild. get a cat.or a dog.. despite your belief that you are another one who can commune with the incommunicable – you can’t. . Reply
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+6
sache
Jul 2, 09 12:41 PM CDT
I'm with Citrixguy. He said it for me. Reply
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0
Timinator2K
Jul 2, 09 12:50 PM CDT
"I hate snakes!!" BETTER, hate that asshole mother's boyfriend who was responsible for the horrific death of this little girl. Reply
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+3

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