[Pippin]

Police measure a Burmese python after removing it from the residence.

OXFORD, Fla. -- Authorities in central Florida said a 12-foot pet Burmese python broke out of a holding tank and strangled a two-year-old girl in her bedroom yesterday.

Lieut. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said the girl, Shaunia Hare, was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m.

Charles Jason Darnell, the snake's owner and the boyfriend of Shaunia's mother, discovered the snake missing from the tank.



He went to the girl's room, where he found the snake on the girl and bite marks on her head. Darnell, 32, stabbed the snake until he was able to pry the child away.

Authorities remained outside the small, tan home, bordered by cow pastures yesterday afternoon, awaiting a search warrant to remove the snake from the home. It was unclear if the python, nearly four metres long, was still alive.

Joy Hill, a spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said Darnell did not have a permit for the snake.

Darnell has not been charged, but Caruthers said investigators were looking into whether there was child neglect or if any other laws were broken.

The Humane Society of the United States said including yesterday's death, at least 12 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

Burmese pythons are not native to Florida, but they easily survive in the state and can reach a length of eight metres.

Jorge Pino, a spokesman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said that owners need a licence to possess a python in the state.

State officials say some owners have freed the Burmese pythons, native to Souteast Asia, into the wild and a population of them has taken hold in the Everglades where there may be as many as 150,000 of the snakes.

One killed an alligator and then burst when it tried to eat it. Scientists also speculate a bevy of Burmese pythons escaped in 1992 from pet shops battered by Hurricane Andrew and have been reproducing since.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem, perhaps no fault of the animal, more a fault of the human," Pino said. "People purchase these animals when they're small. When they grow, they either can't control them or release them."

Florida Senator Bill Nelson introduced a bill in the U.S. Congress in February to ban the importation and interstate trade of the reptiles.

Oxford is about 80 kilometres northwest of Orlando.

[*susan*]

I saw this on the news last night. Can you imagine how awful that must be for the parents? It really is tragic.

[Pippin]

It is tragic and what's saddest of all, completely avoidable. As was said, they had no permit for it. In Florida, these animals are only allowed to be kept by people who know how to care take of them properly and that would include knowing how to securely contain them. Burmese pythons are listed as a "reptile of concern."

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) , a Burmese python can grow to 26 ft. Despite being a non-native species, they've been found in Florida since the eighties and are breeding.


Just three months ago the FWC held an Amnesty Day where you could hand over non-native pets to them. It was announced in February.

FWC seeks good homes for unwanted nonnative pets
February 4, 2009
Contact: Jenny Tinnell, 850-926-0128


If you have an exotic pet you can't care for anymore, don't just open the front door and set it free. It's illegal to release a nonnative animal into the wild in Florida, and it could be detrimental for the animal and the environment. In an effort to keep unwanted exotic pets out of Florida's native habitats, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Miami MetroZoo will host the fifth Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day in March in Miami.


"We are expecting to get quite a few nonnative animals that day, so we need to make sure we have safe homes for them," said Jenny Tinnell of the FWC. "Released pets are a common pathway that allows exotic species into the wild. Often, pet owners don't understand the difference between native and nonnative species, or they don't realize the possible effects releasing a nonnative species can have. This event gives pet owners who can no longer take care of their pets or no longer wish to keep them a legal, ethical option."



Currently, the FWC is looking for potential adopters in South Florida who are experienced pet owners and are willing to provide a home for one or two more animals. All adopters must fill out the proper application form before they receive surrendered animals.



"This isn't a free pet giveaway," Tinnell said. "We're looking for adopters with knowledge and expertise in caring for exotic pets, not people who have always wanted a pet and think this is an opportunity to try their hand at owning one they don't have to purchase."



Pet Amnesty Day will be March 21 at the Miami MetroZoo. It's free and open to the public. Exotic animals can be surrendered to the FWC free of charge with no questions asked and no penalties.



"We will not be penalizing any pet owners who choose the responsible option of not releasing their nonnative pets into the wild. This is about curbing our ongoing problem of exotic fish and wildlife," Tinnell said.



A veterinarian will examine each animal, and every attempt will be made to place all healthy animals with qualified adopters. Amnesty Day is also a family event; there will be live animals on display, live animal shows and fun activities. Experts will be on hand to talk to about proper care of exotic pets, so people who are thinking about purchasing one can learn from credible sources before they buy. This is a chance for people to not only see exotic animals, but get up close and even touch them.
Nonnative pet amnesty events help to increase awareness of nonnative species problems. Over 400 nonnative species have been observed in Florida, and more than 130 have reproducing populations.


For more information on nonnative species in Florida, visit the Wildlife and Habitats section of MyFWC.com.



Anyone interested in adopting nonnative pets should download the proper adoption application and animal care sheets at MyFWC.com and click on "Be a nonnative pet adopter." Adopters must have knowledge of natural history and caging requirements and have proper facilities for the animals they are interested in adopting. There is no fee for being an adopter.

It was a tragedy all round for sure.

[sanderson]

Awful news but I have seen allot of people blaming the snake for this. As a reptile keeper I think I should say that it is the keepers fault and not the snake! it should not have been able to get out of its cage in the first place and the only reason i can see that it would see the child as a prey item is if it was very hungry (i.e not been fed)

[*susan*]

I agree, Sanderson. I don't see how it could be the snake's fault. He was simply acting on instinct. I would definitely say the blame falls 100% on the keeper for this tragic incident.