7 Yr. Old Feeds Zoo Animals to Crocodile

[THUNDERDUCK]

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A 7-year-old boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said Friday.

The 30-minute rampage, caught on the zoo's security camera, happened early Wednesday after the boy jumped a security fence at the Alice Springs Reptile Center in central Australia, said zoo director Rex Neindorf.

The child then went on a killing spree, bashing three lizards to death with a rock, including the zoo's beloved, 20-year-old goanna, which he then fed to "Terry," an 11-foot, 440-pound saltwater crocodile, said Neindorf.

The boy also fed several live animals to Terry by throwing them over the two fences surrounding the crocodile's enclosure, at one point climbing over the outer fence to get closer to the giant reptile.

In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said, adding: "It was like he was playing a game."

By the time he was done, 13 animals worth around $5,500 had been killed, including a turtle, bearded dragons and thorny devil lizards, Neindorf said. Although none were considered rare, some are difficult to replace, he said.

"We're horrified that anyone can do this and saddened by the age of the child," Neindorf said.

Alice Springs police said they are unable to press charges against the boy because of his age. Children under age 10 can't be charged with criminal offenses in the Northern Territory. His name was not released because of his age.

Neindorf said he plans to sue the boy's parents.

The boy's small size is probably the reason he didn't trip the zoo's security system, which relies on sensors to detect intruders, Neindorf said.

"I just want people to learn that they can't let their children go and run amok," Neindorf said. "If we can't put the blame onto the child, then someone has to accept the responsibility."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Sev]

Where are the parents is what i'm wondering?
7 y/o's should be indoors studying or playing soccer (australian football in this case) and nothing else.

[redux]

He may only be 7, but that's still complete heterosexualry.

[JFC]

Neindorf said he plans to sue the boy's parents.

...

"I just want people to learn that they can't let their children go and run amok," Neindorf said. "If we can't put the blame onto the child, then someone has to accept the responsibility."

Where are the parents is what i'm wondering?

QFT.

[meowchi]

He may only be 7, but that's still complete heterosexualry.

This folks, is why redux is freaking awesome.

[Tuffty]

That's some great parenting right there.

[tru_harmony]

poor animals...

is this what they get for living in captivity for the entertainment and education of people?

man...

[iacus]

Honestly, if I was there I would probably have beaten that kid up.

[SomethingWild]

Terrible, just terrible. Poor animals.

[Asmodai]

In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said..,


...

Alice Springs police said they are unable to press charges against the boy because of his age. Children under age 10 can't be charged with criminal offenses in the Northern Territory. His name was not released because of his age.

And this is where future rapists and serial killers come from. 

The kid obviously needs serious counseling. I hope the child protection authorities do a very thorough investigation into what led him into this state.

[Rick-e]

In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said, adding: "It was like he was playing a game."

oh great... more psychos in the making >_<
how'd the parents let loose the child in the first place? that's just irresponsible

[Maikeru86]

I agree with Asmodai. If this kid was doing this as if this were a game, or enjoying it, there is definitely a screw loose. Sounds like the Halloween remake. Michael Myers starts lashing out on little animals. I hope they do help this kid or we'll probably be reminded of this story in the future.

[shadowstar]

...Damien?

[ebc]

Although it doesn't say, I suspect the boy is a native (Aboriginal) so there's a good chance he thought he was doing the right thing by feeding Terry live animals from the zoo

I think you really have to live here and have met a few Aborigines to understand.
While there's some who can fit into western society quite well. Some of them do find it difficult fitting in, this includes whole families, not just kids.

Where I live, there's the regular groups who live in the parks kinda wandering around the place stoned on paint fumes or petrol. If you're lucky to meet them you're usually greeted with a friendly "getdafukoutaheercunt" or something along those lines, usually it's really hard to understand but you get the idea. Occasionally I hear them around where I work, you can usually hear them from a long way off because they tend to yell and scream a lot at each other or if they see someone they don't like across the street.

About a year ago, two Aboriginal girls free'd a crocodile at our local zoo. The zoo here is actually free, it's a part of the Botanical Gardens so anyone can walk through it at any time of the day pretty much.
They never found the crocodile because it would have made it's way straight to a nearby creek.

Aborigines still eat lizzards and other creatures today, it's what they've been doing for years.
When I was a kid I remember going to the beach and seeing a giant turtle carcass which had been eaten out.

So anyway, while everyone is wondering why and how a 7 year old kid would do this. I am thinking how this is just another news story. There are worse things that Aboriginal kids do here. Koala's being stoned for fun does happen in areas that still have them.

[StreakInTheSky]

Do "tribal" people do that kind of stuff for fun?

I was always led to believe those kind of communities were taught to be nice to nature and not too just beat animals to death unless they were gonna use them for something...

Then again I know nothing of australian aborigines and basing this off how school and the media portray native americans and african tribes as.

Still think the kid is nuts though since he did break into the zoo and killed because he thought he should.  What would make him believe this was the right thing to do?

[ebc]

Do "tribal" people do that kind of stuff for fun?

No, it's just a bunch who don't care and probably have no control over themselves anyway.

Here's some more reading http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5055820/reptiles-killed-in-alice-breakin/

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/10/04/7551_ntnews.html

The first article mentions: "The Alice Springs Reptile Centre backs on to Billygoat Hill, a favoured spot for itinerant drinkers and youths."

That'd probably be a place where the kid has grown up, probably with other members of his family. Such a happy environment, doesn't really leave kids with much TO do.

Yeah the kid has some issues, but there are kids like this, they grow up and just end up in prison.

One day at work I come outside to see 3 young fellas basically hitting each other with sticks and swearing and screaming as loud as possible. They also had a bottle with paint solvent in it they'd been sniffing. Nobody really wants to do anything about it though.

[Asmodai]

Do "tribal" people do that kind of stuff for fun?

I was always led to believe those kind of communities were taught to be nice to nature and not too just beat animals to death unless they were gonna use them for something...

It's sort of the opposite of that here too. Canadian aboriginals have a lot of the some problems as Australian ones apparently.

[Guchi_Jnr]

If this kid was Aboriginal, then I have little doubt as to where his parents were.. Passed out under a tree next to an empty petrol can..

I've only spent 3days in Alice, and that was 3days too many!!

[Kuja]

One day at work I come outside to see 3 young fellas basically hitting each other with sticks and swearing and screaming as loud as possible. They also had a bottle with paint solvent in it they'd been sniffing. Nobody really wants to do anything about it though.

That's really upsetting, as well as that 7 year old killing and feeding animals. How can things go so wrong at such a young age?
There must be something seriously wrong with the boy who broke in the zoo. Killing animals with a stone sounds really sick

[Kirigirisu]

That's so sick...I'd have issues not disowning that child.