Snake Attacks Three-Year-Old Boy

[wcreptiles]

A fine reporting job by KXNT, the snake is dead; boy and mother doing fine. A follow up story would be nice to find out what actually happened.

Snake Attacks Three-Year-Old Boy

A three year old boy and his mother are recovering from a snake attack in Las Vegas. The eighteen foot Python snake attacked the young by while they were at their remodeled business. The snake wrapped itself around the boy when his mother slashed the snake with a knife. The snake was killed but the boy and the mother are fine.

http://www.kxnt.com/Snake-Attacks-Three-Year-Old-Boy/3706331

 

[Tiger Lilly]

Thank goodness the people were ok, but what were they thinking? I'm with you; I'd like to have more info

 

[wcreptiles]

A Las Vegas toddler was pulled from the jaws of an 18-foot-long, 300 lb snake.

A Las Vegas toddler was pulled from the jaws of an 18-foot-long, 300 lb snake.

"That was the only thing I was thinking was I need to try and save this kid's life," neighbor Marlo Vinson said. Vinson was the first neighbor in the apartment complex to try and help the toddler's mother free him from the snake's grasp.

"That's when I saw the 3-year-old on his knees with the snake constricted around him," Metro's Sergeant Steve Custer explained. "I've been a police officer for 36 years and I've never seen anything like this ever."

Custer was one of the first officers on scene. "It's the biggest thing I've ever seen, with a big old head and it's angry and it's hissing."

Why stupid people with young children keep dangerous pets is beyond me.

Probably so you can have stupid commenters on the online news items about how their kids were endangered by their pets.

Thankfully the child is fine and that is the most important issue here, now that said this is not the snakes fault yet the snake had to be euthanized by a veterinarian therefore the snake those (some even SMILING) officers are standing around holding is still alive and suffering from 17 stab wounds while they are posing for sensationalistic photographs. If this were a dog or some other family pet would they have hung around to take pictures while holding the suffering dog? Probably not there would be public out cry for the suffering animal. But this is only a snake so who cares- it is a living creature and deserves as much respect as any other living animal.

P.S. Said snake in photo is dead.

http://dogfightatbankstown.typepad.com/blog/2009/01/suffering-snake.html

 

[DAND]

Sounds like it was thier pet that attacked. And this woman has reproduced.

 

[wcreptiles]

A Little More Information

According to this FOX Newsvideo, this family was pet sitting and the snake got out of its cage and 'wrapped itself around' the child.

http://tinyurl.com/cztxsy

 

[DAND]

According to this FOX Newsvideo, this family was pet sitting and the snake got out of its cage and 'wrapped itself around' the child.

http://tinyurl.com/cztxsy

Still, it's not too smart to have such a large snake in the same house as a child. Anybody ever see the cartoon Rugrats? Kids get into all kinds of things and parents aren't always aware of where the little ones have gotten off to as was probably the case here. At least the child is okay and hopefully the parent has learned something from this.

 

[wcreptiles]

I see a big problem here, you don't keep a retic in the bedroom when you have a 3 year old. The cage had to be a piece of junk if the snake got out or the 3 year old was able to release the snake.

The toddler's mother told Metro that while she was in the bathroom, her son entered the bedroom where the snake was being kept. "The snake bit him, right here like in the armpit," said Custer. "

At least stupidity charges should be filed. You keep a large snake in a secure cage in a secure room even if you don't have kids around. You don't pet sit unless you have the facilities to properly care for the animal. You wouldn't keep someone's horse in your garage and back yard.

Because of its injuries, animal control was forced to put the tiger python down. At this time, authorities are still deciding whether or not to file child endangerment charges against the 3-year-old's mother

Las Vegas toddler survives 300 lb snake attack
KVBC-TV
updated 8:13 a.m. ET, Sun., Jan. 25, 2009
Dan Ball reporting

A Las Vegas toddler was pulled from the jaws of an 18-foot-long, 300 lb snake.

"That was the only thing I was thinking was I need to try and save this kid's life," neighbor Marlo Vinson said. Vinson was the first neighbor in the apartment complex to try and help the toddler's mother free him from the snake's grasp.

"That's when I saw the 3-year-old on his knees with the snake constricted around him," Metro's Sergeant Steve Custer explained. "I've been a police officer for 36 years and I've never seen anything like this ever."

Custer was one of the first officers on scene. "It's the biggest thing I've ever seen, with a big old head and it's angry and it's hissing."

The toddler's mother told Metro that while she was in the bathroom, her son entered the bedroom where the snake was being kept. "The snake bit him, right here like in the armpit," said Custer. "

The boy's mother stabbed the giant 325 pound python 17 times until it released him. Moments later, police arrived. "So we're thinking maybe it's dead, so we crack the door and look in there... oh, here's this big old snake," explained Custer.

The half a dozen officers decided to wait for animal control. "We're trying to get that little hook on the snake and finally we get it on there and then the fight is on," Custer continued. "It was incredible, we were rolling around on the bed on the floor back and forth every body has a piece of the snake."

"They grab you and then they pull you into the coils and coil you," Jim Tracy, manager at Pet Kingdom, said. "Every time you breathe in, they constrict harder and harder until you can't breathe."

All constrictors are non-venomous snakes, but they will bite their prey and hold on until they can get wrapped around and suffocate their meal.

Tracy says that most snake attacks are caused by people just not paying attention. "The snake is the victim because it paid the price for people's negligence."

Because of its injuries, animal control was forced to put the tiger python down. At this time, authorities are still deciding whether or not to file child endangerment charges against the 3-year-old's mother.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28802226/

 

[SofaKing]

I have more compassion for an animals life,then any human life.

 

[Seamus Haley]

I have more compassion for an animals life,then any human life.

I don't.

I value some individual animals very highly, my dog for instance, because it's MY dog...

And I value an animal's well being over a person's feelings. But to value an animal's life over a human's is bordering on the rabid and insane. May as well make a check out to Ingrid if you truly feel that way.

 

[ForkedTung]

Tracy says that most snake attacks are caused by people just not paying attention. "The snake is the victim because it paid the price for people's negligence."

One of the smartest things I've ever heard said in these situations....

 

[SofaKing]

Why is that Seamus?


Aren't we as human beings suppose to be the most advanced species,but yet we seem to be the most vicious of all, as like we never truly evolved. We destroy life, over meaningless reason. So when did man become a god to decide what lives and what dies? Why is a humans life more precious then any other life, don't you think every living thing deserves to the right to survive...

So who are you to say I'm wrong for how or what I think?

 

[kmurphy]

Aren't we as human beings suppose to be the most advanced species,but yet we seem to be the most vicious of all, as like we never truly evolved. We destroy life, over meaningless reason. So when did man become a god to decide what lives and what dies? Why is a humans life more precious then any other life, don't you think every living thing deserves to the right to survive...

I used to think that way but I was fishing one time and there was this mosquito. I tried to get it to go away but it just kept coming back. So I let it eat me for awhile. Then the ungrateful cuss invited all it's friends to dinner. That's when I decided that I'd had enough and splattered that sucker and all his friends and relatives on my arm. It was then that I came to the conclusion that some animals aren't better than me and don't deserve to live. It was very enlightening.

 

[SofaKing]

Not exactly what I'm saying, but very funny!

 

[wcreptiles]

Parents Charged With Endangerment

Pet Python Attacks Toddler; Parents Charged With Endangerment
Tuesday , February 10, 2009

LAS VEGAS —

Police say the parents of a 3-year-old boy who was attacked by a pet python snake have been arrested on felony child neglect, abuse and endangerment charges.

Records showed that 26-year-old Anthony Melendrez and 25-year-old Melissa Melendrez were being held Tuesday at the Clark County jail pending initial court appearances on Thursday.

Police say the 18-foot python bit and coiled itself around the boy Jan. 20 at a southwest Las Vegas home.

Officials say the snake began squeezing the breath out of the child before Melissa Melendrez stabbed the snake more than a dozen times with a kitchen knife.

The python was later euthanized by animal control officials.

Investigators allege that a 5-year-old child who was in the home also was endangered.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,490784,00.html

 

[wcreptiles]

Couple accused in snake attack on son cuts a plea deal

Couple accused in snake attack on son cuts a plea deal

Updated: March 12, 2009 07:49 PM EDT

The couple accused of felony child abuse and neglect for a snake attack that injured their son could still face jail time.

Anthony and Melissa Melendrez entered an Alford plea in District Court today.

The plea doesn't admit guilt, but does admit prosecutors could prove the case if it went to trial and reduces the charges against them to a gross misdemeanor.

Police arrested the couple in February, weeks after an 18 foot python bit and squeezed their 3 year old son and Metro's investigation also turned up Anthony's outstanding warrant for a DUI.

Sentencing on April 2nd is up to a judge.

The couple faces anywhere from a 100 dollar fine to a year in jail.

Stay tuned to Action News for updates on this developing story.

http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9997909

 

[wcreptiles]

Parents in Snake Attack Accept Alford Plea

Posted: Wednesday, 08 April 2009 7:07AM

Parents in Snake Attack Accept Alford Plea


The parents of a three-year-old boy who was attacked by a python snake, appeared in court Tuesday. Anthony and Melissa Melendrez have accepted an Alford plea, which means they are not admitting guilt, but the prosecution could have success if the case went to trial. The couple was originally charged with child abuse and neglect. The plea gets the pair out of facing two felony charges, which could have resulted in up to 20-years in prison. Instead the alford plea will be a gross misdemeanor that has a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail. The child is said to be doing fine.


TM & Copyright 2009 KXNT Radio Inc.

http://www.kxnt.com/Parents-in-Snake-Attack-Accept-Alford-Plea/4164655

 

[garweft]

Aren't we as human beings suppose to be the most advanced species

We like to think so, but I seriously doubt it.

but yet we seem to be the most vicious of all, as like we never truly evolved

What does the lack of viciousness have to do with evolution? Here I thought evolution was a change in allele frequency over time.

We destroy life, over meaningless reason. So when did man become a god to decide what lives and what dies

Were not the only thing that makes decisions on what lives and dies. I remember learning about food webs in second grade (Although they were called food chains back then).

Why is a humans life more precious then any other life

Because were human and have greater compassion for our own species. We have an innate drive to pass on our genetics and to keep our species going.

don't you think every living thing deserves to the right to survive...

I'm not sure that right is the correct term here. Although I would say that everything deserves to have the chance to survive based on their own ability to escape/evade predatory attempts......unless were talking about beef cattle....they need to die in large quantities because I'm hungry and need steak. And the deer did an excellent job of escaping/evading my predatory attempts this year. But they should live in humane conditions until that time.

But any living thing that tries to do harm to my little allele carriers (kids) will be dispatched with extreme prejudice. For example, I really like dogs, possibly even more so than snakes. But let someones dog attempt to harm my child and I will gladly rip out it's throat like Patrick Swayze did in Roadhouse.

 

[DAND]

The plea gets the pair out of facing two felony charges, which could have resulted in up to 20-years in prison. Instead the alford plea will be a gross misdemeanor that has a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail.

And how is this a deterrent?

 

[suzuki4life]

so let me get this straight....snake bits kid. Mom and dad get charged for child endangerment of both kids within the home because there were contained in "harm's way".

So when your Lab bites your kid, under the same logic you should be charged with endangerment of EVERYONE or EVERY child in the dog's immediate range because as we all know...dog bites and attacks are over a million times more common than such an act involving a reptile.

 

[wcreptiles]

so let me get this straight....snake bits kid. Mom and dad get charged for child endangerment of both kids within the home because there were contained in "harm's way".

So when your Lab bites your kid, under the same logic you should be charged with endangerment of EVERYONE or EVERY child in the dog's immediate range because as we all know...dog bites and attacks are over a million times more common than such an act involving a reptile.

A free roaming 18ft Retic is slightly different from you basic Lab. A dog is considered a domesticated pet where your snake is still a wild animal and should be confined to suitable cage and not be permitted to roam free; especially when children are left unattended. If the parents had this animal in a proper locked cage away from the children this would not have occurred; no charges filed, no story.