Snake crashes pool party

Posted: 7:10 p.m. Jan. 26, 2010
Snake crashes boy's pool party
By ERIC D. LAWRENCE
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

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Justin Moy’s 14th birthday party included a surprise he won’t soon forget.



A snake interrupted the pool party the Northville boy and six of his friends were having Saturday at the Fairfield Inn near I-275 and 6 Mile in Livonia Saturday evening.
One of Justin’s friends bent down to pick up what he thought was a rubber snake on the side of the indoor pool, and it hissed at him.


As the boys scrambled out of the pool area, the 18-inch black or dark-green snake slithered into the water.


“I was like, ‘Oh my god,’” Justin said as he and his friends went to get help.


Justin’s father, Will Moy, said he was unhappy with what he felt was a cavalier response from the staff, who told him the snake had been spotted at least twice before.


“If they knew there was a snake in there, they should have told the guests,” he said.


Neither the hotel manager nor officials at Fairfield’s corporate parent, Marriott, returned several calls for comment.


Carol Austerberry, acting environmental health director for the Wayne County Health Department, said the pool was deemed safe in an annual health department inspection Friday — just one day prior to the incident.


She confirmed today that a snake was found at the hotel, but was unclear what kind or how it got there. Hotel staff removed the snake and took it outside, so the matter is closed, she said.



Contact ERIC D. LAWRENCE: 313-223-4272 or elawrence@freepress.com.


http://www.freep.com/article/2010012...059/1001/rss01

Originally Posted by WiseReptiles

She confirmed today that a snake was found at the hotel, but was unclear what kind or how it got there. Hotel staff removed the snake and took it outside, so the matter is closed, she said.



http://www.freep.com/article/2010012...059/1001/rss01

I think there was a better way to remove the snake then taking it outside in the weather that was in the low 20s at best today. So for a probable gardner snake it was better to put it into the cold to die then call a nature center or someone that could of given it a proper home? Just my 2 cents

I agree with you. Someone should have called and got the snake into a safe place ,Until it was warm enough to release .

I live a few miles from that place, and I can tell you people in this general have the worst fear of snakes I have ever seen. It's a shame that they let it go outside instead of calling someone.

I'm guessing the 2 day Reptile Expo won't be held at that Hotel this year. Too bad some idiot tossed it outside. Hopefully it managed to get back inside prior to succumbing to the elements but the chances are unlikely.

Sad that they treated it so inhumanely. Even sadder is that the boys and their dad didn't appreciate it. My dad would have jumped up and caught it (or had me catch it0 and then would have given an on the spot herp lesson. Wimps.

man that sucks I would of been diving in to catch the snake ( and I not the greatest swimer there is lol) and then while it chewed on my finger(S) I laugh as I drove it home until spring weather hit and it was safe ot release ( if it was a native snake )