Exotic Animal Incident Report

Reported: Aug 22, 2001
Location: Irwin, Pennsylvania

Animal: Burmese Python
Animal Disposition: unknown

Facility Type: Exotic Pet
Facility Name: unknown

Category: Attack resulting in human death
Species: Reptile

Summary: An 8-year-old girl died after her family’s “pet” 10-ft-long Burmese python suffocated her. The snake was one of five “pet” snakes owned by the family. The girl’s father was charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and child endangerment; the mother was charged with child endangerment.

Source: Scripps Howard News Service, Associated Press, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette