# Two kids "killed by African python": Plausible?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 7, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599 "2013-08-07T16:46:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/1 "2013-08-07T16:46:02Z")

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[Today’s paper.](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/08/07/new-brunswick-snake-boys-vigil.html) Story unclear. Four-year old and six-year-old found dead in room with [Python sebae.](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/08/07/new-brunswick-snake-boys-vigil.html) (Wiki.) Boys uneaten (cite Wiki, not article). Snake killed anyway. No mention that the boys were sick or incapacitated.

Anyone care to create a scenario where the boys are killed by the python? I can’t, but then again I wasn’t there and I’ve never met one.

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### Author: ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/2 "2013-08-07T16:48:51Z")

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It’s a 13-foot rock python. I can’t quite see how the second boy got involved unless the snake went around both of them at once and they didn’t react in time. A huge python can chest-wrap a deer and have it immobilized in moments, dead in minutes.

Have you ever seen a snake that big, in the flesh? It’s creepy-terrifying-awesome even if you like snakes. (I do.)

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### Author: ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/3 "2013-08-07T16:55:05Z")

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A lot more speculation (but still no definitive answers) in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=698682).

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### Author: ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/4 "2013-08-07T18:16:50Z")

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> [@SpoilerVirgin](#):
>
> A lot more speculation (but still no definitive answers) in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=698682).

Thanks. I’ll go camp out there.

Very Sherlock Holmes-y opening set-up right?

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### Author: ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/5 "2013-08-07T18:23:29Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Thanks. I’ll go camp out there.
> 
> Very Sherlock Holmes-y opening set-up right?

An ice cube strangled them, then melted.

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### Author: ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/6 "2013-08-07T19:13:19Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Thanks. I’ll go camp out there.
> 
> Very Sherlock Holmes-y opening set-up right?

"The Speckled Band.’ First thing I thought of.

Leo, do you think this story is made up?

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### Author: ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-kids-killed-by-african-python-plausible/665599/7 "2013-08-07T22:11:33Z")

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Since there’s another thread on this and Leo seems to have gone there, let’s close this one.
