Pet Python Strangles 2-Year-Old

A 2-year-old Florida girl was strangled to death yesterday by a pet python owned by her mother’s boyfriend, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Charles Darnell noticed that his 8-foot-long albino Burmese python had escaped from its aquarium when he awoke yesterday morning. He found it on top of the girl in her bedroom and immediately began stabbing it.

The girl, who had a bite mark on her head, was dead when emergency crews arrived. Police are questioning Darnell, who could face child endangerment charges, in addition to a misdemeanor for owning a python without a permit. Darnell also has a 6-foot boa constrictor, but its container was secure. Two other young children also live in the house. (More Burmese python stories.)