NFT: Cincinnati Zoo Kills Gorilla to Protect Child

In comment 12979998 speedywheels said:

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In comment 12979568 UConn4523 said: Quote: would definitely catch a lot of flack but say they are watching 10 kids, isn't it the Zoo's job to make it safe for schools and large groups of children to come to see their exhibits? Again, I went to the Bronx Zoo many times as a child as well as a couple local ones in CT. We ran off all the time, its simply impossible for a chaperone to account for every child at every single second. Running off is one thing, but did you (or anyone you know) try to crawl into an exhibit where a live animal was?

No, but how long did it take the kid, 5 maybe 10 seconds? As a parent going into a place that's designed specifically for families, you go into it thinking that they won't be put in danger and that losing site of said kid for well under 30 seconds wouldn't result in tragedy.

That picture of the exhibit is frightening from the standpoint that I can basically swing my leg over as an adult and jump in if I wanted to. Going incident free for that long is sheer luck, IMO, and had nothing to do with every other park attendee being great parents.

This was a freak accident that can happen to anyone, regardless of parenting skills.

Does the utterly unexpected nature of that behavior make the parents more or less negligent? I would think less.

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UConn4523 : 1:27 pm : link : reply Going incident free for that long is sheer luck, IMO, and had nothing to do with every other park attendee being great parents.

You don't even need to be a "great" parent to think about having your 4 year old by your side with a fence like that, in my opinion.

this reminds me of our previous discussions regarding children accidentally being left in cars resulting in tragedies. One doesn't have to be a negligent parent to make life altering tragic mistakes.

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While a bit more in the extreme case... RC02XX : 1:36 pm : link : reply this reminds me of our previous discussions regarding children accidentally being left in cars resulting in tragedies. One doesn't have to be a negligent parent to make life altering tragic mistakes.

Maybe not negligent up to that point, but you do have to be a colossal moron and have some fucked up priorities as usually it's "work stress" and "in a rush" or some bullshit excuse that is given.

Just my opinion though. Before any of you reply I do realize I'm not allowed to judge until I myself have had a child I wanted to kill in a hot car.

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No, I didn't say that at all. manh george : 1:18 pm : link : reply IF there was a hole under the brush, he could have wriggled through it in 5 seconds. I have no idea. Neither do you.

That would just be adding details to the story that up to this point don't exist though.

In comment 12980031 GiantFilthy said:

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Quote: While a bit more in the extreme case... RC02XX : 1:36 pm : link : reply this reminds me of our previous discussions regarding children accidentally being left in cars resulting in tragedies. One doesn't have to be a negligent parent to make life altering tragic mistakes. Maybe not negligent up to that point, but you do have to be a colossal moron and have some fucked up priorities as usually it's "work stress" and "in a rush" or some bullshit excuse that is given. Just my opinion though. Before any of you reply I do realize I'm not allowed to judge until I myself have had a child I wanted to kill in a hot car.

Don't be flippant, man. We've been more than respectful of our disagreements. I was merely stating something that I remembered.

Touchy subject for me though after knowing someone who came within inches of killing their kid in the car years back.

And yet you are willing to assume an awful lot that you simply don't know. Why are your assumptions more valid? Because they play better into your anger?

but on that note I can't imagine any parent here or anywhere could see themselves making that mistake.

In comment 12980056 GiantFilthy said:

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Touchy subject for me though after knowing someone who came within inches of killing their kid in the car years back.

And I was being serious about this being another contentious topic that every parent with small children need to constantly be vigilant about. I didn't expect a shit sarcastic comment in return. But no biggie. I'm sorry that you almost had to go through this tragedy with someone you know.

they hadn't had an incident like this in (as mg wrote) 38 years, putting some focus on the parenting of the child isn't that outrageous. Just perhaps, it does take some time (with nobody watching) to get yourself into a place where you can potentially fall.

This absolving of the parents is sure interesting.

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Yes, adding details that don't exist. manh george : 1:58 pm : link : reply And yet you are willing to assume an awful lot that you simply don't know. Why are your assumptions more valid? Because they play better into your anger?

This whole thread has been about a parent not looking, which I guess you can say is my assumption and it would be the natural one to have. But you are changing the terrain. There is a little difference at least.

And I'm not angry at this person letting their kid almost get ripped apart. I get mad at anyone for having kids.

In comment 12980063 GiantFilthy said:

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but on that note I can't imagine any parent here or anywhere could see themselves making that mistake.

The thread was regarding the father in Georgia (I think), who intentionally left his son to die in the car because he wanted to start a new life.

And with there being almost 40 incidents a year in which children actually die in hot cars (who knows how many other incidents in which parents were able to remember in time to get back to the car and thus aren't counted), it isn't something that's so out of the realm of possibility that good parents can't make such tragic mistakes.

And of course none of us ever think we can make the same mistake, but tragic accidents do happen to good people. Whether you agree that some of these are accidents or just parents being negligent and shitty doesn't matter at this point. It happens.

In comment 12980069 Randy in CT said:

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they hadn't had an incident like this in (as mg wrote) 38 years, putting some focus on the parenting of the child isn't that outrageous. Just perhaps, it does take some time (with nobody watching) to get yourself into a place where you can potentially fall. This absolving of the parents is sure interesting.

We dont need to guess. A witness said the boy was through in a flash. Too fast for her to grab him.

In comment 12980069 Randy in CT said:

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they hadn't had an incident like this in (as mg wrote) 38 years, putting some focus on the parenting of the child isn't that outrageous. Just perhaps, it does take some time (with nobody watching) to get yourself into a place where you can potentially fall. This absolving of the parents is sure interesting.

People aren't absolving anyone. People are empathizing and saying there just isn't enough information to make such black and white call like some have done here. There is a huge gulf between absolving and witch-hunting.

In comment 12980023 RC02XX said:

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this reminds me of our previous discussions regarding children accidentally being left in cars resulting in tragedies. One doesn't have to be a negligent parent to make life altering tragic mistakes.

How do you "accidentally" leave a kid in a car? When I was young (probably 8+), I was left in the car with the windows open if my parents needed to run a quick errand (bank, grab some bread, etc). But this was never by "accident" as they were intentionally leaving me.

what you are saying, then, is that for 37.999 years, no parent had ever been negligent in keeping track of their kid around this particular exhibit, so that surely the parents in this particular case did a shitty job?

Or did potentially hundreds or thousands of prior instances of kids getting away from their parents briefly simply not result in the kid crawling under the bushes and into the moat?

And Filthy, as far as the amount of time involved, there was this comment from an eyewitness:

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None of us actually thought he’d go over the nearly 15 foot drop, but he was crawling so fast through the bushes before myself or husband could grab him, he went over!

Despite this, you seem to know for a fact that the kid was off by himself for some extended period of time. Based upon what?

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manh george : 2:14 pm : link : reply None of us actually thought he’d go over the nearly 15 foot drop, but he was crawling so fast through the bushes before myself or husband could grab him, he went over! Despite this, you seem to know for a fact that the kid was off by himself for some extended period of time. Based upon what?

"Crawling so fast" AFTER the kid had already climbed through that fence I'm guessing? Yeah, no chance KidFilthy even gets past that barrier, nor would she try. Sorry, I just have more confidence in myself here.

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I didn't expect a shit sarcastic comment in return.

It's like you don't even know him.

In comment 12980086 GiantFilthy said:

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Quote: manh george : 2:14 pm : link : reply None of us actually thought he’d go over the nearly 15 foot drop, but he was crawling so fast through the bushes before myself or husband could grab him, he went over! Despite this, you seem to know for a fact that the kid was off by himself for some extended period of time. Based upon what? "Crawling so fast" AFTER the kid had already climbed through that fence I'm guessing? Yeah, no chance KidFilthy even gets past that barrier, nor would she try. Sorry, I just have more confidence in myself here.

You should start exercising your kid, she sounds slow.

Whats her 3 cone time?

In comment 12980088 BrettNYG10 said:

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Quote: I didn't expect a shit sarcastic comment in return. It's like you don't even know him.

I like to think that Filthy is far above your level of discourse, you fat fucking dwarf.

In comment 12980090 ron mexico said:

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You should start exercising your kid, she sounds slow. Whats her 3 cone time?

She's a girl...does it matter?...;)

In comment 12980093 RC02XX said:

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In comment 12980088 BrettNYG10 said: Quote: Quote: I didn't expect a shit sarcastic comment in return. It's like you don't even know him. I like to think that Filthy is far above your level of discourse, you fat fucking dwarf.

How dare you.

In comment 12980097 BrettNYG10 said:

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I like to think that Filthy is far above your level of discourse, you fat fucking dwarf. How dare you.

Truth hurts, you short rotundo.

In comment 12980093 RC02XX said:

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In comment 12980088 BrettNYG10 said: Quote: Quote: I didn't expect a shit sarcastic comment in return. It's like you don't even know him. I like to think that Filthy is far above your level of discourse, you fat fucking dwarf.

Leave Danny DeVito alone!

you guys are still at this. Nice perseverance and repetition.

In comment 12980099 Wuphat said:

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Leave Danny DeVito alone!

It's great seeing you here, you godless heathen!

In comment 12980085 manh george said:

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what you are saying, then, is that for 37.999 years, no parent had ever been negligent in keeping track of their kid around this particular exhibit, so that surely the parents in this particular case did a shitty job? Or did potentially hundreds or thousands of prior instances of kids getting away from their parents briefly simply not result in the kid crawling under the bushes and into the moat? And Filthy, as far as the amount of time involved, there was this comment from an eyewitness: Quote: None of us actually thought he’d go over the nearly 15 foot drop, but he was crawling so fast through the bushes before myself or husband could grab him, he went over! Despite this, you seem to know for a fact that the kid was off by himself for some extended period of time. Based upon what?

I'd say that given the number of people with kids who have visited the zoo for almost 40 years (and I'd imagine a whole bunch of them had to be fucking stupid and being led by stupid parents), when you get one that makes its way through and into the exhibit, which has never happened before, either the kid is the next Houdini, or it isn't a stretch of the imagination to suggest that the kid wasn't being supervised too extensively. I mean, are you serious? This was an anomalous occurrence overall, so are YOU suggesting that the zoo did something wrong THIS time with this child? Because however they might update their enclosure to make it even safer, before this accident, it hadn't happened before.

this mother didn't just let her kids roam around without supervision. She got distracted, the kid had full intention of going over, and the enclosure wasn't kid-proof. Even with momentary (less than 10 seconds?) distraction, the kid was deadset on going in, which I'm assuming most kids usually aren't going to do. As I've stated on multiple occasions, perfect combination of shitty factors/events lead to this tragedy. If any one of those factors didn't exist, this wouldn't be a story.

The witness talked about crawling so fast THROUGH THE BUSHES.

There are no bushes AFTER the drop, so there goes that theory.

Facts are funny things, dontchathink?

Yes, it was an anomalous event. It's the rage at the parents I find strange. It was an anomalous event for them, too.

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"Her attention was drawn away for seconds, maybe a minute..."

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"...lost track of her child for perhaps a minute or so..."

Again, we just all parent differently I guess. The minute that I or WifeFilthy have had our eye off of my kid in public, especially one with heavy traffic like a zoo, hasn't happened yet.

In comment 12980146 GiantFilthy said:

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Quote: "Her attention was drawn away for seconds, maybe a minute..." Quote: "...lost track of her child for perhaps a minute or so..." Again, we just all parent differently I guess. The minute that I or WifeFilthy have had our eye off of my kid in public, especially one with heavy traffic like a zoo, hasn't happened yet.

Try having two then.

Or didn't mean to if I did. What I've said what this was bad parenting. This moment. I do believe that. If a kid says, "yo, I'm gonna go do this thing that is dangerous," and you decide that that would be a good enough time as any to stop watching, it's gotta be a bit on you.

Your opinion, while thoughful filthylike, isn't welcome - seeing as how you've only planted the one seed.

Only those with 3 or more trophies bundles of joy are permitted to weigh in.

You seem awfully impressed with his communications skills and capacity to make a plan and carry it out.

In comment 12980150 GiantFilthy said:

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Or didn't mean to if I did. What I've said what this was bad parenting. This moment. I do believe that. If a kid says, "yo, I'm gonna go do this thing that is dangerous," and you decide that that would be a good enough time as any to stop watching, it's gotta be a bit on you.

I think other posters have said she was a bad parent...I don't believe you said it. Just just told us on numerous occasions that you were a better parent than most of us...;)

But the mom did make it clear to the kid that he will not do any of that. In the end, this kid is just a little asshole...:)

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"The little boy himself had already been talking about wanting to go in, go in, get in the water and his mother is like, 'No you're not, no you're not,' " O'Connor said. "Her attention was drawn away for seconds, maybe a minute, and then he was up and in before you knew it."

Link - ( New Window )

I guess my earlier point was that there is no way this mom didn't already know her kid was an asshole! Might have been that same article where it was mentioned that people tend to feel comfortable and get a bit lax at amusement parks for some reason when we really shouldn't.

In comment 12980160 GiantFilthy said:

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I guess my earlier point was that there is no way this mom didn't already know her kid was an asshole! Might have been that same article where it was mentioned that people tend to feel comfortable and get a bit lax at amusement parks for some reason when we really shouldn't.

Well, all kids are assholes to a point. So when they say stupid shit, you often tell them "no" and move on without giving it a second thought. This one just happened to be a bit more of an asshole than others.

"I'm gonna go play with the nice monkey"

"No you aren't"

"Yes, I am."

"No, you aren't."

And then he did.

a kid was thrown into a tiger enclosure. The little boy in Cincy was lucky this was not a tiger. Gorillas are relatively docile animals unless circumstances require otherwise and it's doubtful he would have harmed the child.

Warning: video is extremely graphic. The kid's bloody guts are exposed as he is ripped apart and killed by tigers.

You've been warned - ( New Window )

Regarding parenting, can we agree that we don't know her overall body of work as a parent however some are justified in questioning her watching of the child that day.

my father tried to throw me into the gorilla enclosure at the Tampa zoo. He told me he thought I escaped.

Why couldn't they shoot it before throwing it in there? Make it a little more humane.

There is no way in hell I'm sharing some of my parenting stories on BBI from now on...

I see what you did there

But seriously that looks like normal people dropping that in there, not zoo trainers. Fuckin China

I was going to share some close calls I've had trying to manage 3 boys but decided against it for obvious reasons.

I am curious about one thing. I believe if my son fell in the pit I would have gone in after him. Perhaps attempting to distract the gorilla. I'm not suggesting it would be the wise course of action but I believe that's what I would have done.

I'm curious who else thought about that and would jump in?

Yeah if one of my children are in them I would be going in after them even if it meant nothing more than I would rather he go after me instead and in that time hopefully my child would be saved by the authorities.

Even beyond that I think I would have a very hard time watching any child in that situation and not be tempted to go in after him. It's a little kid with his entire life ahead of him.

I think it's instinctive. Before I knew it would be in the pit.