News: 2 die in rock python attack

[Pythonfriend]

I'm not saying this guy didn't do it...in fact, I'm sure there is foul-play her. But those pictures aren't something that I would, as a parent, immediately think "OMG MOLESTER!".
I've got tons of pictures of my kids running around like that, doing something goofy. It's what parents do. And when they don't have a bathing suit, guess what works just fine? Undies!

Does that mean this guy ISN'T a molester? Nope. I just hate seeing people ASSume because of pictures like that. These kids were over all the time, and supposedly "Like family" with his own son/himself. So these pictures don't prove to me that he was some evil child molester.

That being said, he probably is, and I just wasted my breath.

....

You really got me here

[sorraia]

This needs to be passed around, too.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...pent-cage.html

Somebody explain to me all the photos of nearly naked little boys frolicking in his shop.

I'm not saying this guy didn't do it...in fact, I'm sure there is foul-play her. But those pictures aren't something that I would, as a parent, immediately think "OMG MOLESTER!".
I've got tons of pictures of my kids running around like that, doing something goofy. It's what parents do. And when they don't have a bathing suit, guess what works just fine? Undies!

Does that mean this guy ISN'T a molester? Nope. I just hate seeing people ASSume because of pictures like that. These kids were over all the time, and supposedly "Like family" with his own son/himself. So these pictures don't prove to me that he was some evil child molester.

That being said, he probably is, and I just wasted my breath.

I just hate seeing people hung out to dry for this kind of picture, when 15-20 years ago no one would have thought ANYTHING of it. Hell, we used to run around in undies in the backyard splashing in mud puddles. Does that mean my parents were molesters?

I understand what you are saying... My child is often in her diaper only during the heat of the day, partly because she gets heat rash very easily. At the same time... I would be uncomfortable if she were running around nearly naked in someone else's home, I would also be uncomfortable if pictures of her like this were then posted publicly on the internet. It might just be me, maybe I don't understand the close relationship that man had with the parents of these two boys, probably because I don't have that kind of relationship with anyone. It does bother me a little though.

What bothers me MORE however... is the statement in that article about this snake escaping in the past. One escape can be an accident, fix the problem and move on. Two escapes... that could still be an accident, but also shows your first fix wasn't good enough. Three escapes, now it's just plain negligence. For any kind of animal that is potentially dangerous (something large like that 14foot African rock, or a venomous snake, or even a large dog), there shouldn't be any accidents, let alone twice.

[RoseyReps]

I understand what you are saying... My child is often in her diaper only during the heat of the day, partly because she gets heat rash very easily. At the same time... I would be uncomfortable if she were running around nearly naked in someone else's home, I would also be uncomfortable if pictures of her like this were then posted publicly on the internet. It might just be me, maybe I don't understand the close relationship that man had with the parents of these two boys, probably because I don't have that kind of relationship with anyone. It does bother me a little though.

What bothers me MORE however... is the statement in that article about this snake escaping in the past. One escape can be an accident, fix the problem and move on. Two escapes... that could still be an accident, but also shows your first fix wasn't good enough. Three escapes, now it's just plain negligence. For any kind of animal that is potentially dangerous (something large like that 14foot African rock, or a venomous snake, or even a large dog), there shouldn't be any accidents, let alone twice.

I agree wholeheartedly. I have no doubt this was the owner's fault, either by negligence, or actual foul play.

The pictures were not taken from him though, these were pulled off of the mother's facebook page. Along with the one with the kids playing in the sand in a tank.

[Mephibosheth1]

I heard last night that he snake was not the property of the pet shop, but was the family's pet?? Anyone confirm/deny??

[Rickys_Reptiles]

I heard last night that he snake was not the property of the pet shop, but was the family's pet?? Anyone confirm/deny??

The family owned the pet shop, so regardless if it was a pet or part of the shop its still the same family.

[Pythonfriend]

seems plausible that the pictures were ninja'd off facebook, thats just what tabloid journalists do: Hack and enter facebook-accounts to get private pictures and personal information to be used as background.


Its really easy to do if the pictures are for example set to "frieds and friends of friends".

[Bluebonnet Herp]

I'll be honest with you guys, I do believe that, unfortunately, the snake did do it. I also believe this is a horrible freak incident, and will probably never happen again.
It's a horrendous tragedy though. The guy who we're calling a molester said these were like his own children. Their mother was his best friend. Why the *bleep* would anybody kill their best friend's children? Hell, even he's grieving, and he probably feels guilty. And now everybody else is shoving him around. I don't about you guys, but if I were him, I'd be depressed as hell. He probably wants to kill himself.
And think about this- I'd rather have this reptile associate be considered a klutz who messed up real bad rather than a child molester. Because what does that do for the rest of us in the viewpoint of the non-reptile public? That will reinforce the belief that we're all wierdos with tattoos and piercings (not like those are bad though) who go around molesting children and being creepy people. At least he shows that anybody associated with reptiles has emotion too.
And I feel bad for the mother too. Losing your children, then hearing about it again and again all over the internet and the TV. Lord have mercy.
And I'd rather hope the kids, if they ever awoke, saw a snake suffocating them than somebody who they thought of as their own pseudo-dad. Because seeing someone you trust killing you as your last memory is awful.

In the mean time, we have to step out of denial. The snake probably did kill the children. We can't change the past and by saying someone else did it and that does not bring back two wonderful kids, and does not make the python uninvolved. However, don't be too defensive. The Reptile Community is NOT guilty. We just have to prove that to the non-herp public. We must show sympathy for all those involved, but we must also have damage control before we and our pets are villainized.

[Kodieh]

Well, the local news here (says my wife) last night said the "kids were constricted" but the autopsy reports haven't been released officially other than they were asphyxiated. People are already drawing conclusions and even if the snake didn't do it no one will believe it now. They've crucified our hobby, like Casey Anthony and Zimmerman. There is no going back even if every news report comes back and says "the snake didn't do it".




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[eatgoodfood]

I'll be honest with you guys, I do believe that, unfortunately, the snake did do it. I also believe this is a horrible freak incident, and will probably never happen again.
It's a horrendous tragedy though. The guy who we're calling a molester said these were like his own children. Their mother was his best friend. Why the *bleep* would anybody kill their best friend's children? Hell, even he's grieving, and he probably feels guilty. And now everybody else is shoving him around. I don't about you guys, but if I were him, I'd be depressed as hell. He probably wants to kill himself.
And think about this- I'd rather have this reptile associate be considered a klutz who messed up real bad rather than a child molester. Because what does that do for the rest of us in the viewpoint of the non-reptile public? That will reinforce the belief that we're all wierdos with tattoos and piercings (not like those are bad though) who go around molesting children and being creepy people. At least he shows that anybody associated with reptiles has emotion too.
And I feel bad for the mother too. Losing your children, then hearing about it again and again all over the internet and the TV. Lord have mercy.
And I'd rather hope the kids, if they ever awoke, saw a snake suffocating them than somebody who they thought of as their own pseudo-dad. Because seeing someone you trust killing you as your last memory is awful.

In the mean time, we have to step out of denial. The snake probably did kill the children. We can't change the past and by saying someone else did it and that does not bring back two wonderful kids, and does not make the python uninvolved. However, don't be too defensive. The Reptile Community is NOT guilty. We just have to prove that to the non-herp public. We must show sympathy for all those involved, but we must also have damage control before we and our pets are villainized.

Im honestly still not quite ready to accept it, is that hard headed, possibly. Do I really think that this guy is a molester or anything of the sort, no, not really, nor do photos like that necessarily make it that way. I was being a smart *** earlier. If it were one child, I think I would have accepted the fate already, if they were just crushed when it fell through the ceiling, I'd probably accept that too.

As to why anyone would kill their best friends kids? Why would anyone kidnap 3 girls and keep them in his basement for 20 years or however long it was. Why would a mom run out naked pack her kids into the car and drive the wrong way on the highway into oncoming traffic? I don't think we quite know why people do a lot of really messed up things. Now am I saying he did it, no, but I'm still not convinced the snake did either. As I said, maybe that makes me hard headed, but Im going to wait for more info to come out, if it ever does. If it was the snake, he should however some how be held accountable.

[Bluebonnet Herp]

As to why anyone would kill their best friends kids? Why would anyone kidnap 3 girls and keep them in his basement for 20 years or however long it was. Why would a mom run out naked pack her kids into the car and drive the wrong way on the highway into oncoming traffic? I don't think we quite know why people do a lot of really messed up things. Now am I saying he did it, no, but I'm still not convinced the snake did either. As I said, maybe that makes me hard headed, but Im going to wait for more info to come out, if it ever does. If it was the snake, he should however some how be held accountable.

I don't think a psychopath would make a best friend and cry about their kids dying.

If it was the snake, he should however some how be held accountable.

Oh most definitely.