Couple found guilty of all charges in killer python case

[wilomn]

I agree, I don't think the snake was euthenized either, but she was injured when the step father struck it with a meat cleaver.

Heard it was a steak knife. Tales grow with the telling.

[llovelace]

Heard it was a steak knife. Tales grow with the telling.

Yes they do, the father stabbed the snake several times with a knife.

[sgath92]

Did we ever find out if the snake actually killed the child or was the snake used to cover up a murder?

[mlperryman]

Even though they were found guilty on all charges, they have not been sentenced yet. They could get 35 years and personally, I think that's fair. But it will surprise me if they get the full sentence. What they did was stupid. Yes, they lost a child but that little girl lost her LIFE because of her mother's ignorance. I have 5 children myself and could not imagine anything happening to them, but if something did and I knew I could have prevented it (like in this case), I wouldn't be able to live with myself. These snakes are not evil creatures if properly cared for, but they are wild animals, so with them not feeding it, the wild returned and the python what was necessary to survive. Anyone idiot can go to the pet store and buy one and any idiot can have a kid (perfect example with this case), so maybe instead of the python ban, there needs to ban stupid people from having snakes AND kids. They should have also charged them with animal cruelty because that is where this tragedy started. Not feeding your 8+ foot python and not properly securing it with a small child in the house is just asking for trouble. If the snake had not been hungry, it would not have tried eating the child. I hope that little girl rests in peace and I hope her mother (and the boyfriend) regret their stupid decisions everyday for the rest of their life, which I hope is spent in prison so they can't let the same thing happen to the new child she just gave birth to.

[sho220]

It is a waste to house this couple in correction facility which cost the public around $35,000 a year per inmate according to my corrections class in collage.

I'll be glad to kick in my share and your share of taxes to send these "people" to prison...

[lk_holla]

I agree with chessfighter. It is a waste to house this couple in correction facility which cost the public around $35,000 a year per inmate according to my corrections class in collage. It is completely a retribution and deterrence to other to prevent it from happening again. However how can their be a greater retribution and lesson than the loss of a child? What a horrible thing. You can't deter people from ignorance and stupidity. It would be much better for them to be sentenced to community service where they learn about proper care for a large constricting snake and tour their area educating teens (teens because they will be adults with small children soon) and others on responsible pet ownership for all "dangerous" animals including vicious dogs, who attack and kill more people including children than pythons. Only education not fear can keep this from happening again.

I agree its a waste of money to keep trash like this in the prison system and pay for it with our tax dollars, but i'm willing to bet that these people won't give 2 :cens0r: about losing their child after some time other than the fact that they got in trouble for it if theyre not taking any blame for it. Its because of stupid people like them that us good-doers have to suffer, not them. Please excuse me if this is extreme, but people like this deserve to be sterilized and punished accordingly (and not with a minimal security luxury 'discipline' resort) for their incompetence as human beings. I'm just tired of taking the beating for the actions of idiots.

I think this guy also needs a wake-up call on manners:

"Concluding her remarks, Arnold said Darnell was not guilty of manslaughter, third-degree murder or child neglect.

"He is guilty of making a stupid decision and having a stupid pet," she said. "He’s guilty of not being a dog-lover and liking snakes.""

[MoshBalls]

Did we ever find out if the snake actually killed the child or was the snake used to cover up a murder?

If they didn't feed the snake and left it unlocked on purpose hoping for it to eat the child it would still be murder. I had not heard anything about them not feeding it for 6 months and refusing the grandmother who offered to care for the snake. I will say that it seems more like they should be jailed and had intent in that case.

There have been cases where Pit Bulls were used as the weapon in a murder case of a girlfriend because they thought it would look like an accident. Honestly that thought never occurred to me before. How horrible.