Family Pet Python Strangles Toddler
It’s a sad story coming out of Oxford, Florida. Two year old toddler, Shaiunna Hare, was strangled by the family pet, a burmese python. According to Shaiunna’s mother and her boyfriend, the python had found it’s way out of it’s cage and into the toddler’s crib some time during the night. In the morning, Charles Jason Darnell, Shaiunna’s mother’s boyfriend, found the snake, who belonged to him, wrapped around the baby’s neck. In order to free Shaiunna, he stabbed the snake until the snake let go. It was too late, she was already dead. The authorities say that they think the snake either thought of the little girl as food or thought it may have felt threatened in some way.
Darnell did not have a permit for the snake and authorities are trying to determine if any other laws had been broken. It isn’t clear whether they will pursue second-degree murder or charge endangerment charges. The python was found alive and placed in the custody of a person with a permit until the investigation is complete.
This is completely upsetting! I am a snake lover myself and have seen friend’s snakes that would cuddle with their infants and seemingly never harm them in any way, but snakes are wild animals. You cannot just full out trust them with small children or infants. I feel horrible for both the mother and her boyfriend. I’m sure they both believed the child was safe with the snake.
I agree Lindsay. My teen daughter brought her friend home in the middle of the night, once. I love her friend. Problem was she had her boa constrictor in a sack with her. My daughter couldn’t understand why I was so upset. This article explains why. I would definitely give the article to him especially given the age of his son.
Wow this is terrible, I have a 2 year old nephew, His mother and father arnt togeter but his father has a Boa costrictor and He lets that snake out around my nephew and leaves the baby down stairs with the snake while he goes up stairs! It realy Upsets me that he would do that knowing that the snake could attack at any moment! I think I will send him this In a e-mail just to show him how dangerous snakes realy are!