Welp! This ain't good! Python found wrapped around dead woman neck in house w/ 140 sn

seems like a breeder from the description. does anyone in the community know her? RIP. the death is unfortunate and i think something like this is gonna blowup and will be sensationalized by the media in 3... 2... 1.

story here: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/...ck/4111159002/

Quote:

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Python found coiled around dead woman's neck in northern Indiana home with 140 snakes

An 8-foot python was coiled around the neck of a dead woman inside a home filled with 140 snakes in Oxford, Indiana, police said.

The home is owned by Benton County Sheriff Donald E. Munson, property records show. IndyStar left a message for Munson with Benton County dispatchers on Thursday.

Benton County Sheriff's Department officers found the 36-year-old woman's body in a snake-filled home in the 600 North Dan Patch Drive shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday, Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley said. The community is located bout 25 miles northwest of Lafayette.

An 8-foot long reticulated python was loosely coiled around her neck, Riley said. Medics tried unsuccessfully to revive the woman.

Riley said the snake may have caused the woman's death, but on it was too soon to know for sure on Thursday.

An autopsy was expected to be performed Friday.

No one lives in the home, which Riley said is "made for the keeping of snakes."

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and here: https://www.jconline.com/story/news/...ay/4111294002/

Quote:

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Python found around dead woman's neck in house of snakes owned by Benton Co. sheriff, police say

OXFORD, Ind. – A 36-year-old Battle Ground woman died Wednesday after she was found with an 8-foot snake wrapped around her neck in an Oxford house, owned by Benton County Sheriff Don Munson and set up specifically for a collection of snakes, Indiana State Police said.

The woman, who police had not named as of 12:45 p.m. Thursday, pending notification of her family, apparently kept snakes in the house in the 600 block of North Dan Patch Drive, Sgt. Kim Riley, an Indiana State Police spokesman, said.

Munson, who lives next door to the house, told the J&C Thursday afternoon that he found the woman in the blue ranch house with the snakes on Wednesday evening.

Riley said the woman was found on the floor at 8:51 p.m. Wednesday. Riley said the reticulated python was wrapped loosely around the woman’s neck. The person who found her was able to unwrap the python but was unable to revive her.

Riley said the cause of death would be determined during an autopsy, scheduled for Friday.

“She appears to have been strangled by the snake,” Riley said. “We do not know that for a fact until after the autopsy.”

Coroner Matt Rosenbarger referred all questions to Indiana State Police.

Munson told the J&C the woman’s death was a tragic situation. He said he was cooperating with ISP investigators.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office dispatch also referred calls to ISP.

Riley said the house contained 140 snakes.

Things were quiet Thursday afternoon at the house with the snakes. The house has no signage or references to what’s inside.

Riley said police were continuing their investigation Thursday.

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and here: https://fox59.com/2019/10/31/indiana...ound-her-neck/

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Indiana woman found dead with snake around her neck
OXFORD, Ind. — A woman was found dead with a snake around her neck in Benton County Wednesday night, police say.

Indiana State Police said Benton County Sheriff Don Munson found the woman inside the Oxford home, according to WLFI. It appeared the woman had been “killed by a reptile,” police said.

ISP described the building as a “reptile home” that had been specifically set up to house 140 snakes. According to the Journal & Courier, police found an eight-foot-long reticulated python around the woman’s neck. The newspaper also reported that Munson owns the home.

The victim was identified as Laura Hurst, 36, of Battle Ground. Police say would usually go to the location about twice per week.

Police said Hurst’s cause of death would be determined during an autopsy that’s been scheduled for Friday.

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That's really not a good advert for the community, that's for sure


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This is why there are guidelines for handling big snakes - anything 8 feet and over, she should've had a second person on hand. Because she didn't follow the rules, we'll all feel it. Maybe me especially as this is in my state :colbert:

Sad. Unfortunately it's all too easy to get complacent when you deal with these snakes every day.

I remain skeptical until the autopsy confirms that "the snake did it". Not saying the snake could NOT have done this, but so could a human. Let's just say she was
having an affair with a married man (maybe even the one who owned the house?) & it was a convenient way to dispose of the "problem"- after all, who would doubt
it...a woman alone in a house filled with snakes probably even "deserved to be killed by one" in the eyes of many of the snake-hating and fearing-public. This really
COULD have been staged...I REALLY hope they have a good medical examiner. We don't need more anti-snake sentiment from stupid things like this.

Realistically, yes, she might have blown it...so do keep in mind the rules of safety when working with big snakes...& just "how big" is partly determined by your own
size, fitness, age, strength, and experience. It's never wrong to have a second person (or more) on hand when working with large constrictors.

I'm only about an hour away from battle ground so this is big news where I'm at. I've already had about 5 people send me this link and I've explained to every single one of them that an animal that big should've had 2 people to handle it for safety reasons.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

a woman alone in a house filled with snakes probably even "deserved to be killed by one" in the eyes of many of the snake-hating and fearing-public. This really
COULD have been staged...I REALLY hope they have a good medical examiner. We don't need more anti-snake sentiment from stupid things like this.

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I hope they have a good examiner as well... my thought is that she had a heart attack or stroke or some other health issue, personally, but it will be interesting to find out. Unfortunately, since a woman keeling over from a heart attack isn't sensationalist news, all the public will ever hear about is the snake, and the real story will be buried on page 12 somewhere two weeks later.

yes, we should wait for the autopsy. the other part that worries me is that she had 140 snakes and how the media and public will react to that fact. a breeder can easily have that many snakes and even a keeper w/ a few racks. she could easily look like a crazy person or hoarder to those outside the community. i can totally see it play it out on the news like how the authorities remove a large cache of guns from someone's house during a bust and then lay it all out for the cameras, except in this instance it would be snakes. then someone or some group would be like "you can't have big snakes" or "you can't have more than one snake!" or "why do u even need a snake?!"

I hope they also have someone knowledgeable about snakes- I hope they look for bite marks or snake saliva that might indicate an accidental feeding bite. The fact
that they found the snake loosely wrapped around her suggests it's possible that this was staged -strangled by human, blamed on snake placed there figuring it might
stay a while to keep warm, & incriminating itself in the eyes of whoever found her. Someone knowing her habits (working there alone) who also felt comfortable with
handling snakes like this really could have done this. :( (perhaps a partner that co-owned the snakes & wanted them all for themselves?) But a good examiner should be able to tell the difference, I think, between human & snake strangling.

An 8 foot snake is also heavy, so sure, it could also have been a completely unrelated health issue as ladywhipple02 suggested, like a stroke or heart attack, while she
was handling the snake. As it is, the headline is selling a lot of newspapers today. I dread the backlash.

Uggggh. That's a terribly sad story.

Hopefully medical examiners find the snake wasn't the cause of death. But either way, in the general public's eye, all they'll remember is seeing these stories and citing it for years to come if someone brings snakes up as a topic, even if the autopsy finds another cause of death.

Regardless of what the autopsy shows, I hope the snake community learns from this. Respect these animals and their capabilities. Be smart people, our hobby needs it.

The poor woman was only 36 years old, much too young to lose her Ife. My thoughts go out to her and her loved ones...

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I hope they also have someone knowledgeable about snakes- I hope they look for bite marks or snake saliva that might indicate an accidental feeding bite.

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It doesn't have to be a feeding bite/coil, any strong 8'+ constrictor around a neck is bad news, even just the snake trying to hold on can do damage, like what seems to have happened to Dan Brandon.
It would seem a tad odd for the snake to still be there unless she was found almost immediately after it happened though.

Sad news all in all.

I’m a 200 pound man and I say with a 6 foot or more long snake, not talking about the thin non constrictors, but u should 100% have a second person with u. Even if they are not there helping but they can if it comes down to that they can call 911

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

It doesn't have to be a feeding bite/coil, any strong 8'+ constrictor around a neck is bad news, even just the snake trying to hold on can do damage, like what seems to have happened to Dan Brandon.
It would seem a tad odd for the snake to still be there unless she was found almost immediately after it happened though.

Sad news all in all.

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Oh yes, I agree. I just meant that it might help, in terms of evidence, if the snake actually did bite her as a feeding mistake. If no such marks, it doesn't rule out the snake at all, but opens the door a little wider for other possibilities to consider. Very sad, no matter what happened. As Craig said, 36 is way too young to check out. And I hope there's someone as back-up caretaker for all these snakes too...don't know if she was the sole owner. She was pretty busy, if she was?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

It doesn't have to be a feeding bite/coil, any strong 8'+ constrictor around a neck is bad news, even just the snake trying to hold on can do damage, like what seems to have happened to Dan Brandon.
It would seem a tad odd for the snake to still be there unless she was found almost immediately after it happened though.

Sad news all in all.

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I'm also inclined to think this is a likely scenario. A feeding strike-and-coil sounds unlikely; it would have to occur in a very specific way to end up entirely wrapped around her neck, and a bite from a snake that size would be readily apparent on visual inspection without needing an autopsy report, i.e. would probably already have been mentioned in the story if such a bite wound were present. Losing control during a handling session is a much easier (and sobering) scenario to imagine. The snake could have been clinging on with no intent to harm at all, but the strength of a giant python is not to be trifled with. There are also cardiac and other medical conditions, even in a relatively young person, that can go undetected until aggravated by something that significantly impacts blood circulation and/or heart rhythm. A powerful constriction that compresses the carotid arteries and jugular veins, not to mention the vagus nerve, would do exactly that.

As for why the snake was still found around the woman's neck, depending on how much time had elapsed - I wonder if the snake got scared and held on tighter as the woman presumably collapsed and fell over. With the way some snakes tense and "freeze up" for a very long time until they're sure the coast is clear, this retic might have had a similar reaction to being jarred like that.

Whatever the case, it is tragic for this woman and her family/friends, and the negative impact on public perception of snakes is unfortunate and inevitable. As keepers of reptiles (large and small), probably the best we can do is to continue to educate, and to be grimly reminded of why certain safety rules exist.

I know a lot of y’all are smart but just some FYI for those of u that don’t know.

I was a black belt when I was younger and it’s not the choking that can get u real fast it’s cutting off your blood flow. It’s really easy to do that with little pressure at the right part. Then from there it’s a collapse on the floor and the snake could definitely finish the job.

Not saying thats hats what happened but most people would think choke like they see in mma and they aren’t choking u they are cutting the blood flow off to your brain

As far as handling snakes alone-- even my 3 foot male BP can squeeze my arm or neck hard enough to be difficult to remove or make me feel uncomfortable. I would never feel safe handling a larger snake by myself (and for the record, I try not to allow him on my neck at all).


The "snake house" thing-- the house was owned by the Sheriff, and I can't wait to find out more details about that situation or set-up. Was he a breeder, an enthusiastic hobbyist, or a hoarder? What was his relationship with the dead woman? Hmmmm . . . .

Made front page of Apple news tonight via CNN.

Says reticulated python and has a picture of a Burmese.

Super all around.

This will create the wrong responses. However. As reptile keepers, let it be a validation as to why we have guidelines we follow as responsible keepers.

I sent the following email to the writers of this article: https://www.jconline.com/story/news/...ay/4111294002/


Dave and Nikos,


I read your article today on the sad death of Laura Hurst. I read similar articles on other sites, including CNN via Apple News, but was unable to reach those authors by email and do not have a twitter or Facebook account. If I could, I would send them this email, as well as point out they had a picture of a Burmese Python when they said in the article it was a reticulated python that was found with the victim.


I have kept reptiles for 20+ years of my almost 40 year life and think the truth of what happened to Laura Hurst is important, and that it is vital you report the findings, regardless of cause of death. If the snake did it, so be it, and if it's another cause, that is equally important.


I live in Connecticut, which does not allow either Reticulated Pythons or Burmese Pythons as pets. I have two Boa Constrictors, 2 smaller pythons (one carpet python and one ball python) as well as 2 corn snakes, and six lizards of various sizes. A Boa is the largest snake I own and the largest I want to own (my female Boa Imperator/BI, will not get over 8FT and my dwarf red tail boa, Boa Constrictor Constrictor/BCC greater than 5FT or so). However, I respect that other people like bigger animals. I also know that many people fear these generally misunderstood creatures.


I have spent a long time both working with my animals to "tame" them, as well as spend time with people I know and in the community to help them calm their fears. In general, captive bred, reasonably sized, pet snakes are not a threat to humans. Even the larger species, such as a reticulated python, usually do not kill humans either, certainly on purpose.


I write frequently on https://ball-pythons.net.

Ball-Pythons.net Ball python care and information as well as community driven content covering all manner of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates - from boas to ball and blood pythons to bearded dragons and brachys. Have questions? We have answers! Come join our unique community and create your own photo gallery, compete in monthly contests, classifieds, calendared events and so much more. ball-pythons.net

[COLOR=var(--neutralSecondary)]

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It's a reptile forum and consistently voted one of the top ones on the internet.


When news hit this morning, it shocked our community and scared us. It didn't scare us because we have snakes, but it scared us because people tend to react to these articles strongly, and not necessarily positively for the reptile community.


If the snake did kill Laura, then it should be explained that a) this is extremely rare and b) that guidelines exist in the responsible reptile community. These include not handling a snake over 8FT on your own and not letting a larger constrictor wrap around your neck.


I should point out that if the snake were attempting to constrict her, which they only do to kill prey (and this is unlikely given her being and adult and the reticulated python only being 8FT - versus 20FT+ they can get), it would have almost definitely struck and bit her as well.


It is possible it wrapped around her neck and could have killed her that way, by accident, but that's not the same thing.


The point here is now that you've published this article, I ask you, kindly, to follow up after the autopsy results and give the findings. If this was a tragic accident and the snake was at fault, please include some statistics about how rare this is given how many people keep snakes in the US and in the World. If the snake is not at fault, please report that and maybe back it up with the same statistics you would have written had it been the snakes fault.


Thank you for taking the time to read this and I appreciate anything you can do accurately report the truth here.


Take care and be well.


David XXXXXXXX

I've read the story in several places but haven't seen what's going to come of her other snakes. Do you think they'll be rehomed or destroyed?

Such a sad story on so many levels.

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Originally Posted by hilabeans

I've read the story in several places but haven't seen what's going to come of her other snakes. Do you think they'll be rehomed or destroyed?

Such a sad story on so many levels.

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According to the news articles 20 of the snakes were hers, the rest belonged to the homeowner who actually lives next door.

The homeowner is the county sheriff and said back in 2001 during an interview when he was initially running for the position that he kept snakes as pets and bred them. So, I doubt they will be destroyed.

Also bear in mind the reason that this is such big news is that these types of incidents are so rare; the last incident I can recall in the US was back in 2011.

Sad news, tragedy regardless if she was killed by the snake or natural causes. I saw this story yesterday on yahoo and of course I had no less than 5 people send me the link and of course the pictures used were that of a ball python. Hopefully this doesn't snowball into hysteria although i'm sure local politicians will be foaming at the mouth to introduce new regs.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

According to the news articles 20 of the snakes were hers, the rest belonged to the homeowner who actually lives next door.

The homeowner is the county sheriff and said back in 2001 during an interview when he was initially running for the position that he kept snakes as pets and bred them. So, I doubt they will be destroyed.

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This is the truth, however a LOT of the news agencies reporting the story are completely failing to mention any of this information. The guy has an ENTIRE HOUSE that he owns solely for the purpose of keeping his snakes and his operation, not to mention that he's an upstanding member of the community and was voted into an important government office.

there are some people currently on YT right now that IMO, are taking huge and unnecessary risks. One young lady with anacondas in particular.

The author of the story, who I emailed, got back to me today.

He asked if he could possibly quote me to best convey my concerns.

I am not sure if he will, but good to know he read the email.

I'll keep everyone in the loop.

It might not be a bad idea, when you run across this story being discussed on various reptile forums, to remind folks that today would be a great day to make a donation to USARK. This sort of news coverage is exactly the sort of thing that can spark irrational and ignorant laws. I'm sending a donation as soon as I finish posting this.

Not sure if this has been posted yet or not. Other side of the State from me but tragic none the less. If you can't open the link from the local paper you can google it, I saw the story made national news this morning.
https://www.thestarpress.com/story/n...se/4121139002/

Yes, thanks, we've been talking about it quite a lot. Very sad.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-woman-neck-in

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Yes, thanks, we've been talking about it quite a lot. Very sad.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-woman-neck-in

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Merged :gj:

https://usark.us4.list-manage.com/tr...0&e=3b027cc1fe
Statement on Reptile Facility Tragedy

By USARK on November 1, 2019
It is with great sadness we have learned that on Wednesday, October 30th, a woman was found dead at a reptile breeding facility in Oxford, Indiana. The victim was found unconscious with a reticulated python around her neck and shoulders, and efforts at resuscitation were unsuccessful. An autopsy to determine the official cause of death has been scheduled for Friday, November 1st.
The victim has been identified as Laura Hurst, 36, of Battle Ground, Indiana. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Ms. Hurst. This unfortunate incident appears to have involved the handling of a reticulated python of around eight feet in length while Ms. Hurst was alone in a reptile facility where she regularly volunteered. We have been informed that the many hours spent at this facility caring for the reptiles, which included some of her own pets, were an enormous source of joy and enthusiasm for Ms. Hurst. This great loss deeply saddens the reptile keeping community.
This is truly a tragic event, as is the premature death of any person, however it is important that constrictor snakes and the risks associated with keeping them are viewed with proper perspective. Fatalities from reptiles kept under human care have been, and remain rare incidents. This is confirmed in accident and emergency statistics which illustrate that modern herpetoculture (the keeping of reptiles and amphibians) is nearly devoid of serious incidents. Regarding reticulated pythons specifically, thousands of these animals are kept in the United States, with any incidents being exceedingly rare.
The United States Association of Reptile Keepers and our membership represent all aspects of reptile keeping and advocacy. It is because of our appreciation for these amazing animals, and the tremendous enjoyment which pet owners derive from their bond with their reptile pets, that we solidify our commitment to the responsible, proper, and humane keeping and care of reptiles. For certain species, such as the largest constricting snake species, certain management practices and operational procedures should be in place. Unfortunately, in this case, there was a violation of the facility’s established protocol to never handle larger animals unassisted. The owner of the facility where Ms. Hurst was found stated, “This was a terrible, unfortunate, and tragic accident. It was avoidable and we should never become overly confident with our animals to the point that we are avoiding safe handling procedures.”
We urge everyone in the herpetocultural community to become educated on proper handling protocols, techniques, and husbandry measures. Responsibility in animal ownership is paramount. Any facility workers or volunteers must be actively taught to minimize the already-small risks involved in keeping reptiles, with these precautions readily and frequently reviewed. Similarly, private keepers working with animals in their home should adopt formal protocols to mitigate any assumed risk.
In the wake of this heartbreaking loss, it is important to maintain both our composure and our compassion. The persecution of responsible reptile keepers and disproportionate restrictions on the ownership of these animals will sound appealing to some. With a knowledgeable perspective, these animals can be maintained without incident by utilizing sound practices and standards. Please make this the last instance of such a tragedy, by following established practices and protocols. We again extend our condolences to family and friends.

Posted in Uncategorized

Something to keep in mind -when people bring up this story as a warning about keeping snakes- is that in this country, there are FAR more injuries & deaths from
horses than snakes, & yet you will never hear people yelling about banning horses. Horses are even "domestic" animals, unlike snakes.

Accidents happen, & accidents can kill, no matter what you're doing. Prevent them & avoid being a statistic by following safety protocols when working with large
or venomous snakes. I really hate that we lost such a dedicated snake keeper as Laura Hurst apparently was...and it didn't have to happen. :snake:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ax01

yes, we should wait for the autopsy. the other part that worries me is that she had 140 snakes and how the media and public will react to that fact. a breeder can easily have that many snakes and even a keeper w/ a few racks. she could easily look like a crazy person or hoarder to those outside the community. i can totally see it play it out on the news like how the authorities remove a large cache of guns from someone's house during a bust and then lay it all out for the cameras, except in this instance it would be snakes. then someone or some group would be like "you can't have big snakes" or "you can't have more than one snake!" or "why do u even need a snake?!"

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Well said. When my wife tells people I breed ball pythons and have over 50 in our house, they look astonished, like, “how do you sleep?” Hahaha, I get bit at least once a week handling the fiesta hatchlings and I don’t even blink, it’s pathetic, much better than getting hit by a rat with huge incisors!
I have only been both twice by adults, and it was a feeding accident, not defensive.

As far as giant constrictors, I would usually (most of them) handle alone, BUT...
If I kept a snake over 50 pounds, I would be extra cautious, even though I’m 6’1” 200 lbs. they are insanely powerful as most of us know.


Kaos Balls

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

It might not be a bad idea, when you run across this story being discussed on various reptile forums, to remind folks that today would be a great day to make a donation to USARK. This sort of news coverage is exactly the sort of thing that can spark irrational and ignorant laws. I'm sending a donation as soon as I finish posting this.

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Awesome! I also donate my small part, and it all adds up, so join us my friends!


Kaos Balls

There are news reports that the cause of death was asphyxiation. That doesn't make sense to me b/c it's more typical for constrictors to kill by cardiac arrest or shutting off blood flow to the brain.

https://apnews.com/1962978e8db043648de8e8467f413e3d

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

There are news reports that the cause of death was asphyxiation. That doesn't make sense to me b/c it's more typical for constrictors to kill by cardiac arrest or shutting off blood flow to the brain.

https://apnews.com/1962978e8db043648de8e8467f413e3d

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Maybe there's still hope that this python can wiggle out of the charges? Still probably won't get him released on his own recognizance...:rolleyes:

This is why I am more concerned about laws at state level vs national level.

P.S. the “facts” from the Humane Society positively make my blood boil. NOT a reliable news resource at all, but those that aren’t educated will take it as such.


https://www.wishtv.com/news/indiana-...strict-enough/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

This is why I am more concerned about laws at state level vs national level.

P.S. the “facts” from the Humane Society positively make my blood boil. NOT a reliable news resource at all, but those that aren’t educated will take it as such.


https://www.wishtv.com/news/indiana-...strict-enough/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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Do bites & accidents happen? Sure...but the same goes for domestic animals. Here's the latest tragedy (below) & you don't generally see dogs banned
(other than pitbulls in some areas). Sadly the Humane Society as well as PETA have shown massive prejudice toward less traditional pets like snakes. :rolleyes:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/05/us/oh...ogs/index.html

With any kind of animals, most accidents are preventable. In the case above it sounds like the Great Danes were hungry (described as thin) & one already displayed temperament issues, but people continue to accept the risks of working with animals they love. It shouldn't matter whether or not it has fur.

According to Wiki and cited from 2005 (old, I know, but it kinda proves a point)....

- Approx 30-50 people die in the US each year from dog bites
- Approx 4.5 MILLION people are bitten by dogs in the US yearly
- Estimated between 6,000-13,000 Americans are hospitalized due to do bites each year.

- Avg annual deaths in the US from snake bites, including venomous species = 5

Granted the numbers are estimates and the stats a bit old, I think it paints a pretty clear picture. But dogs are "cute" and accepted by the majority as pets. Snakes are still too misunderstood by the general public. It's sad, but true.

Maybe we should ban dogs? They're apparently pretty dangerous...More dangerous than my vape, just saying....

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

Maybe we should ban dogs? They're apparently pretty dangerous...More dangerous than my vape, just saying....

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Yo, back up off my pups! Thems fighting words... lol

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

Yo, back up off my pups! Thems fighting words... lol

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Hahahaha!! I'm animal lover to the core. I love dogs, most of em, hahaha.
Just my tongue-in-cheek way of throwing a dig at government for stepping on our toes. If their bans were based solely on statistics instead of speculation and misunderstanding, guess what? Dogs would be probably be banned. But since they're cute and furry they're obviously not going anywhere. Rest assured your pups are safe, hahaha.