Toddler mauled to death at Pittsburgh Zoo

12 years old obviously wasn't old enough to realize that she needed to hold her brother's hand so he wouldn't run into the street.

I think having a babysitter who is 13 is your choice. But if anything happens and she/he reacts like a child, since they still are, the situation may not be handled as well as it should be.

I didn't read all the responses... but is it sure the mauling is what killed him? 14 feet is a HUGE drop for a toddler that could have easily killed him.

Not that it excuses anything. Just curious, I guess.

I didn't read all the responses... but is it sure the mauling is what killed him? 14 feet is a HUGE drop for a toddler that could have easily killed him.

Not that it excuses anything. Just curious, I guess.

I didn't read all the responses... but is it sure the mauling is what killed him? 14 feet is a HUGE drop for a toddler that could have easily killed him.

Not that it excuses anything. Just curious, I guess.

There is no possible explanation in my mind for letting go of a tiny child to balance on his own over something that horrifically dangerous. This may not be a very popular response, but no one can be that stupid. I have a sick feeling about the intentions of the mother. You hear stories of mothers going off the deep end and killing their children. There have been some notorious stories on the news. This thought that it may have been intentional flitted across my mind. Of course, no one can know what was in her mind. It certainly isn't fair to make a rash judgement this early on. But the thought did occur to me.

This is so horrible and heartbreaking for the child especially. It makes me want to cry just picturing how it ended for him. If I was there I'd have jumped in and tried to save him. 14 feet isn't that far for an adult. I can't understand why nobody did that. Why the zoo workers just fired darts instead of running in screaming and waving their arms and kicking at the dogs. Anything to stop what was happening. He might not be dead if someone had.

I agree with you as well. That was the first thing I told my mom - I would've immediately jumped in after him. I can't imagine I would've even thought before I did so, as it's just my instincts to protect my child. I'd rather die fighting for my child than live knowing I just stood there and watched and did nothing.

With that said, shock can literally paralyze people ("freeze" them), so I can't exactly jump on her for that.

If it is honestly negligence, and she did hoist her kid up there and let him go... then I have no words.

Turning your back and having a kid who doesn't know any better climb up and fall is one thing.

but to let a three year old balance himself on the side of an exhibit full of wild dogs?

I can't even bear to think of a world where a mother would do that to her child.

???? So ni chance the kid just escaped her grasp? That happens all the time... Even to adults. Kids are squirmy and their hands are small. Sometimes they get away no matter how hard you try to hold on

I was babysitting when I was 10. Lol

You can have adults babysitting and if something hapoens it doesn't mean it will be handled as well as it "should have". Emergency situations have a way
Of throwing people off their "normal" game

But it is nice to know that if aonething tragic ever does happen i will be painted as an inept stupid parent who should be sterilized

In a video I saw, a witness said she she put him up there and let him balance on his own. No matter how "innocent" it might have been, that's sheer negligence. And no matter how much she might blame herself and hate herself, she should still face the consequences of her actions. At some point we have got to start charging people, who commit these sort of "OMG! WHOOPS!" crimes.

In a video I saw, a witness said she she put him up there and let him balance on his own. No matter how "innocent" it might have been, that's sheer negligence. And no matter how much she might blame herself and hate herself, she should still face the consequences of her actions. At some point we have got to start charging people, who commit these sort of "OMG! WHOOPS!" crimes.

I hope zoos don't start placing more restrictions on viewing animals because of the stupidity of some people.

There is no possible explanation in my mind for letting go of a tiny child to balance on his own over something that horrifically dangerous. This may not be a very popular response, but no one can be that stupid. I have a sick feeling about the intentions of the mother. You hear stories of mothers going off the deep end and killing their children. There have been some notorious stories on the news. This thought that it may have been intentional flitted across my mind. Of course, no one can know what was in her mind. It certainly isn't fair to make a rash judgement this early on. But the thought did occur to me.

The only other thing I can think of is if the mother was on drugs. Even someone with a very low IQ wouldn't do that. I can understand stupidly putting the child up there but holding on. This is beyond comprehension. So very sad.

If the mother was holding on and for some unavoidable reason, let go....(I can't understand that though) then yeah...accident. But what do people think those barriers are for?

I hope the zoo doesn't get sued. It probably will though.

And sorry, to the other poster who said motherhood is full of mistakes and this was "just a mistake." Motherhood isn't some "get out of jail free" card when it comes to being irresponsible and reckless. Dangling your kid over a pit full of wild, predatory animals is no more "just a mistake" than dangling them over the side of a sky car at Disneyland.

And sorry, to the other poster who said motherhood is full of mistakes and this was "just a mistake." Motherhood isn't some "get out of jail free" card when it comes to being irresponsible and reckless. Dangling your kid over a pit full of wild, predatory animals is no more "just a mistake" than dangling them over the side of a sky car at Disneyland. It's sheer stupidity that defies logic and reason, and yes, people SHOULD be charged and tried on criminal offenses for allowing that to happen because it IS foreseeable and preventable.

I've been to a whole lot of zoos and have seen people do A LOT of stupid things like this without being homicidal and/or on drugs. Any one of the multitudes of children I've seen propped up on the walls of enclosures by their idiot parents could have fallen in. Most of them are lucky, because they just happened to not be, for example, leaning in to "pet the big kitty" just as the parent lets go so that they can return a text. I'm actually surprised, with the sheer number of times I've seen people do dangerous things at zoos, that this doesn't happen more often if not on a regular basis.

And sorry, to the other poster who said motherhood is full of mistakes and this was "just a mistake." Motherhood isn't some "get out of jail free" card when it comes to being irresponsible and reckless. Dangling your kid over a pit full of wild, predatory animals is no more "just a mistake" than dangling them over the side of a sky car at Disneyland. It's sheer stupidity that defies logic and reason, and yes, people SHOULD be charged and tried on criminal offenses for allowing that to happen because it IS foreseeable and preventable.

But no, I still dont think jail is actually going to serve a purpose here.

I'm actually surprised, with the sheer number of times I've seen people do dangerous things at zoos, that this doesn't happen more often if not on a regular basis.