Toddler mauled to death at Pittsburgh Zoo

[Miakoda]

Originally Posted by Fran101

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.

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.

[yoko]

Originally Posted by sparks19

???? 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

If she hadn't put him up in a dangerous situation she wouldn't have had to worry about him escaping her grasp.

And yeah I TOTALLY said that about you.

I'm just saying we talk about not stacking odds against our dogs. I'd think that with a child you'd not want to do that X1000000000000000000000 and I just stated that imo allowing a child to watch a child is one of those 'stacking the odds against'. There may be calm, mature 12 and under. But how many times have we had conversations on here about them just doing kid stuff/messing up because they are kids. I just don't think you can expect a child to be as reliable in a situation as an experienced adult.

[Greenmagick]

Originally Posted by Miakoda

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 am NOT saying that is not what happened, but witness testimony is usually horribly flawed.

I guess my main thing is we (meaning us here on chaz) dont know what happened. I am very uncomfortable with vilifying this mother without facts.

Charge her with negligence and what, put her in jail? Does that help anything?

[yoko]

Originally Posted by Miakoda

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.

Honestly I really don't see her getting much. She'll probably get a slap on the wrist.

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

I think it'll depend on any lawsuits that pop up from this.

Originally Posted by Doberluv

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.

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.

[yoko]

Originally Posted by SevenSins

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.

Also looking around at different articles they have determined that it was the painted dogs that killed him not the fall.

[Greenmagick]

Originally Posted by SevenSins

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 dont think its a get out of jail free card. My point was we DONT know what actually happened. But no, I still dont think jail is actually going to serve a purpose here.

[Miakoda]

Originally Posted by SevenSins

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.

I have to agree with you.


I buy a zoo pass to our local zoo every year. I've been taking my boys since they were infants. I completely understand about young boys wanting to wander away. I understand about them wanting to climb railings. But I don't let them. Going to the zoo if a lot of fun, but it's somewhat stressful on my end as well, as it's my job to make sure my children stay safe as well make sure they obey all the rules and regulations.

I, too, see people doing awfully stupid things with their children, and it makes me sick to my stomach. I just don't get it.

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

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

If I pick up a pistol that I don't think is loaded, start twirling it around like a jackass and accidentally kill my friend, I'm going to be tried as a criminal and go to prison because my stupid and reckless actions caused the death of another person, regardless of the fact that I didn't intend for it to happen. Should someone who accidentally kills another person while playing with a loaded weapon like a toy be charged as a criminal? If not, why? If yes, why is this situation different?

[Beanie]

Originally Posted by SevenSins

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.

Agreed. I think the mom just made a horribly stupid mistake. And her child paid the price for it unfortunately. This morning they said it wasn't clear if it was the fall that killed him or the dogs and now they are saying it was the dogs... horrifying. I'm sure there were other kids around who saw it happen too. I don't even want to imagine. Just ugh.
And the most disgusting thing is it could have all been prevented.

I'm not sure charging her is necessarily the right thing to do though. She lost her son because she made an insanely stupid mistake... charge her with negligence but to what end?