Subject: Re: Child's death from python in IL
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 22:46:02 -0500
From: WSFA News <news@wsfa.com>
To: Christine
A FAMILY PET HAS KILLED A YOUNG CHILD IN ILLINOIS. BY THE TIME MELISSA ALTOM FOUND HER 3 YEAR OLD SON...IT WAS TOO LATE. THE FAMILY PET, A 7 FOOT
AFRICAN ROCK PYTHON, HAD KILLED HIM. pOLICE SAY THE PYTHON HAD ESCAPED SUNDAY MORNING FROM A POORLY CONSTRUCTED CAGE WHILE THREE ADULTS AND JESSE SLEPT ON THE FLOOR. OF THEIR HOME.
(soundbite from herpetologist: the way the constrictor operates, it will seize the prey in it's mouth and then throw the body around it to basically asphyxiate or suffocate the prey item, it keeps it from beathing."
(soundbite from mother: "Get rid of your snake or you might lose your child like I did.")
POLICE HAVE NOT RULED OUT CRIMINAL CHARGES IN THIS
CASE...BUT IN ILLINOIS IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO KEEP A PYTHON AS A PET.