Couple found guilty of all charges in killer python case

[wilomn]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say prison will not solve a thing. These people lost their child. And ya'll act like they did it on purpose. They were clearly irresponsible and should be held accountable. Accountable to their family, themselves, and their community. Not the state or the prison industrial complex which is simply going to institutionalization these people and not solve a thing. Because we all know prisons are not built to "rehabilitate" anyone.
Now watch which BS laws are created "against" these snakes we love so much.

I disagree. It's going to solve the problem of them procreating.

Would you rather have them free? Perhaps in counseling? Group therapy? They're worthless drug addicts who made poor choices that one way or another cost the life of a child and should have VERY serious consequences. What would you do with them other than lock them up? Maybe next time they'll crash into a car full of someone else's nice children and kill a bunch of them. Maybe they'll find god and become missionaries. Thing is, there's no way to know and these two should NOT get the benefit of the doubt. As far as I can see that means either kill them, which if the proof of them killing the child was there I'd be all for, or locking them up.

I'm still on the fence as to whether the snake killed the child or was framed for it.

They were not a deciding factor in the permit system for Florida, that was correctly in the works long before these two came to public attention. That they were bad attention for us all is not in question.

[Britain Mitchell]

As a mom of 3 small kids (a 4yr old a 2yr old and a baby due any second) this is just INSANE! What were they thinking?! A quilt, seriously?!

[akaangela]

This is sad. Who in their right mind (obviously they where not in their right mind) would use a quilt for the lid of any snake???? Even my balls can pop the lid off a tub when they really get a mind to. I find it odd that such a small burm would go after a 2 y.o. It obviously couldn't eat it and most snakes won't kill unless it is hunting and thinks it can have a meal. That part of the picture seems really off to me. I did take offence at the "stupid pet" lol of course none of my snakes are very bright, but that was uncalled for.

I am sorry to say this just put another nail in the large constrictor coffin. It make a case that "stupid people" shouldn't own animals, not just snakes. What if the kid had been killed by their dog (if they had one?)? Of course you could take it one step further and say "stupid people" shouldn't have kids.

So what is the answer? How do you keep people like these from owning and mistreating a large constrictor? What is the answer? It is the same question "dangerous breed" dog owners are facing.

[MoshBalls]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say prison will not solve a thing. These people lost their child. And ya'll act like they did it on purpose. They were clearly irresponsible and should be held accountable. Accountable to their family, themselves, and their community. Not the state or the prison industrial complex which is simply going to institutionalization these people and not solve a thing. Because we all know prisons are not built to "rehabilitate" anyone.
Now watch which BS laws are created "against" these snakes we love so much.

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.

[darkbloodwyvern]

They got what they deserved. That is why you never get any animal with out fully understanding how to properly care for it.

I don't really think they did get what they deserved. They deserved to be crushed to death, rather than their poor child. And what happened to Gypsy? I don't know burms, but wouldn't an 8 year old burm be bigger than 9' if it was kept on a proper diet? How sad for all of us and I hope all those responsible owners of big snakes in the state can somehow manage to keep their pets if they owned them before the law was passed. It's just sad that so many irresponsible people release these snakes when they are too big, or allow them to escape (if an animal can escape their cage or crate, the fault is the owner's). It hurts everyone else but them. It's sad when snakes kill their owners because they are starving. IMO, at least it's the jerk who starved them getting killed, rather than a poor little kid.

Pets and kids deserve far better than lots of people do to them...

[Deepsouth]

They did get what they deserved however the snake was killed because of it. The mother of the people offered to buy food for the snake, she was refused, she offered to take the snake and keep it herself again the refused. The only thing covering the snake was a small blanket. The snake had not been fed in months, not one month, but months probably at least six months.
Some brought up valid points that I did not think about and that was, was it murder? Did they do this hoping the snake would kill their child?

I have a friend that has a 10 foot Burmese in Fla but he cannot sell the babies in Fla has to sell them in Ga. Do not know if this will effect him or not.

[SpencerShanks]

The snake had not been fed in months, not one month, but months probably at least six months.

If I remember correctly a month before this tragedy happened it ate some roadkill squirrel.

[mues155]

Anyone else see what the defense attorney had to say on the result? How this is what they get for having a stupid pet and not being dog-lovers?

Yeah i raised an eyebrow on that one too.
it just makes me mad that even though this is a case of people being stupid it still makes snakes look bad either way and now more people can say "oh see? all snakes are bad." Its the exact same thing with pitbulls.
Its just stupid people paying for negligence, at the price of animals who arent properly cared for.
aaarrrggg

[wilomn]

They did get what they deserved however the snake was killed because of it.

I had not heard this. Last I heard, read, it was adopted by a rescue. Where did you get your info?

Also, let's not forget that these two were NOT reptile keepers doing it wrong. They were drug addicts. Because of their addictions a child is dead and all of us who do keep large snakes properly are being penalized.

[Mft62485]

I had not heard this. Last I heard, read, it was adopted by a rescue. Where did you get your info?

Also, let's not forget that these two were NOT reptile keepers doing it wrong. They were drug addicts. Because of their addictions a child is dead and all of us who do keep large snakes properly are being penalized.

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.