The Lions' Pride

If that had been my kid, i would have been right over that fence with him. I can understand the kid falling, I don't understand why no one went in to help, especially a parent.

ridiculous....maybe I'm in the minority, but if that's me dropping my kid in there....I'm hopping right in after him and nobody is restraining me from doing it. I get they are wild animals and I would likely be injured pretty badly too, but they aren't huge dogs....about the size of coyotes. An adult human could inflict some damage on some of the dogs as well...especially one protecting their child. Who knows, maybe the dogs would have backed away from an adult that was fighting them.

My kid, hell yeah. No way I watch my child be mauled. There was even a report it took a few minutes before they attacked, and another that said it was instantly. Either way, I have a hard time thinking no one went in to help the kid. If a few guys jump in there, I'm sure the dogs would have backed off.

Agree with this. It also wouldve took attention away from the still kid and to the moving object (parent or other adult). Yes the parent may have died, but it wouldve allowed enough time for personell to come in and get the child to safety. Its sort of like those stories of people gaining strength and willpower at extreme times due to adrenaline and other emotions. I find it hard to believe multiple people were being restrained at the same time and not one of them was shocked enough to power through any restraint. Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but if the kid fell into the pit in a split second, then an adult couldve just as easily jumped in the next split second. They didnt have to go in some other way.

I also dont like society of people blaming others for their own mistakes. Unfortunately, this is on the parents, not the zoos and the amount of endangered dogs they have.

Regardless, prayers go out to the family and friends. This is one of the saddest stories in awhile.

Look, I'm a cop and the blame game is not the way to go with this situation. Mistakes and accidents happen. How many times do u go to a zoo and see kids on parents shoulders, or parents holding kids up to be able to see over railings. Heck, how many people throw their kids up in the air and catch them just to play a game with them? Life is this fragile, one second you're in control, the next you realize you have no control.

The mother does not deserve jail, her kid just got mauled in front of her very own eyes as she stood by helpless. I guarantee that she is blaming herself. Was it negligent, probably, but how many times are the rest of us negligent and the outcome isn't this horrific.

One kid in my area was having a pillow fight with his parents, went to wind up the pillow and the kid fell backwards off of the bed and broke his neck. Just like that their lives changed. Because a kid fell off balance from swinging a pillow. Dad still blames himself to this day.

My thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

Exactly. When I was a lifeguard, back in the day before seat belts were mandatory, I remember the story of a beautiful, sweet, little girl who use to swim at my pool. One day her sister took her for a ride in the car, driving about 20 miles/hr, stopped abruptly at a stop sign, and the young child fell off of the seat, broke her neck and died. Happened that fast. Seat belts weren't even in the car. There wasn't a crash. It was a fluky tragedy. Although we like to think that somehow, we could be faster, stronger, more responsive, and would never take the risk...the truth is, you just don't know until you are in the situation. Thank God each one of us who has done many stupid things over time have not paid the price paid here.

As mentioned above, life IS fragile. I hope that there will be lessons from this particular tragedy...as it is a heart-breaking loss. Prayers for the parents, family and friends, especially the mother who will forever carry this with her. Prayers for the child, may he rest in peace.

I hope no one here said the mom deserves jail time thats absurd.

First of all, I would hope that everyone does pray for the family regardless of their feelings on the subject. That said Common sense isn't very common anymore.

There's a difference between true negligence and an accident.

True negligence was a mother that left her two year old and three year old in a hot car on a 98 degree day this past summer, and I had to break the car window and watch as rescue repeatedly give those children CPR. In that situation, the mother showed no regard for her children's safety or care. She was inside the mini mart flirting with her boyfriend to top it all off.

This mother was simply trying to raise her kid up to see an exhibit at the zoo. It's not like she raised him up, left him on the platform, and walked away. The kid slipped and fell out of her grasp. This mother cared for her kids safety, she didn't intentionally put him in harms way and look the other way.

It's not that easy and that black and white man. I hope to God you never end up in a situation like this.

Also, negligence is also defined by law as carelessness. The mother was probably being careful but being careful doesn't mean you are in control. This is a lesson for everyone. Like I said before, as much as we like to believe it, we are not in control, and life is fragile. This is a tragedy, not an act of negligence.

This thread is for positive thoughts and prayers for this family.

If you feel you can't act appropriately I beg you to refrain from commenting.

This breaks my heart. I have a son who is going to be two this coming March, and losing him, especially in such a brutal manner, would end my world. I feel awful for the poor family and especially the little boy who had his life cut short.

Thank you, drken. Continued prayers going their way.

I am also..your post is right on..You just dont know, and by some of the responses some never will understand. We like other professions watch life cant dramatically in literally ONE second. My prayers are with the family Darken 22..Stay safe NitLionsGo and to all of you PSU guys hug tight those little ones everyday!!

Go PSU!