So apparently the snake was "caught and in a cage" by the time that the owner contacted the police... sounds fishy to me.
This whole thing just doesn't add up. As for putting the snake down, yes, I can see why they did it. We are not legally allowed to own snakes more than 3 meters, I believe, in NB. So that snake couldn't be rehomed, and it's not like they could ship it to Africa and let it go. Our closest zoo isn't equipped to deal with it, as they already have three, I believe, large snakes. Plus, this snake in particular was known to be aggressive...
I just can't understand how it FELL through the ceiling and no one heard 100lbs dropping to the floor? That'd be pretty loud. The snake didn't 'smother' the boys by laying on it from heat, it's supposed to have constricted around them and killed them that way... Again, what I can't understand is how it got both of them at the same time before someone could scream or make noise. That and snakes don't constrict when they attack out of aggression. They hiss, then strike. Constricting is a feeding response. So the snake would have tried to swallow at least one. Nasty to talk about, I know. But it just doesn't add up to me. And that said, with the pressure that a snake can constrict, wouldn't some (if not most) bones have been broken?
I am interested to see what comes out of the investigation.. because I honestly don't feel like the snake is to blame for the deaths here...
Okay, now I'm even more suspicious.
WARNING! TMI graphic constriction descriptions!!!!
To answer your question about constricting, it depends a lot on the individual snake and their feeding experience. I had some who it didn't matter if I offered dead or live, they would strike and then constrict so suddenly and violently that bones would snap all over the place (it sounded like bubblewrap, gross). If the blood was still fluid inside the prey item's body, it wasn't unusual for blood to come out the nose or mouth.
Others would just wrap up and squeeze gradually. I remember having to feed live rodents a very few times. Those guys would grab and squeeze, and with each breath they'd tighten up just a TINY bit until the animal could no longer take a breath in. Interestingly, those animals didn't act stressed. They could still breathe and stuff, but never struggled or made any sounds of distress.
Then a handful of others didn't bother constricting at all, despite being constrictors. They'd just gently slither up and start swallowing.
Either way, it'd be very obvious if the snake was a crusher. The kids could have yelled if it was a hugger, and obviously it wasn't a swallow-without-constricting-first type either.
I read that part of the reason the snake was put down is because they needed to do an autopsy on it too. Which is sad, but I guess makes sense in cases where it's suspected of taking human life. I do wish they'd waited until after the autopsy report came back though, as it might not have been involved at all.
ETA: And who the crap finds two dead children, then spends time putting an escaped python in its cage WHILE THERE ARE TWO DEAD CHILDREN ON THE FLOOR!?!?!? Without calling 911 first?!?! This is really really sounding wrong.