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[ApharmdX]

Horrible situation but holy fuck at the parent or crazier yet child blaming.

This situation could have occurred over seconds.

Dad that the gorilla is dead but there is also a 4 year old that is seriously hurt at the moment

Yeah, it's crazy, reading the parent-judging and child-judging going on here. It's like people lose their minds over animal deaths, more so than over a lot of negligent/intentional human death, even.

Gorillas are perhaps self-aware and certainly amazing animals. At the end of the day, however, that's an animal, and unpredictable, and dangerous. There was only one decision to make here.

Exhibit has been open for 38 years and millions of visitors without issue. Hope the parents pay dearly.

Should be a law that says if you break into a critically endangered animal's enclosure, adult or kid, it's life comes before yours.

You've got to be kidding.

man fuck these parents. "Zoo's are chaotic, it only takes a second to lose track of your child!" isn't a good enough excuse at a zoo or anywhere else. what would the parents say if they "lost track" of their kid and a child predator abducted and murdered the kid? "welp the zoo was chaotic and we lost track, what could we do!?"

so the parents are pieces of shit but with that said it should be impossible for a 4 year old to get into that enclosure so the zoo fucked up too

The parents would probably say- find that motherfucker who grabbed my child. Are you seriously saying that inattentive parents or a mischievous child are responsible for kiddy-grabbing incidents?

 

[Iadien]

I watched the video several times (I'm now an expert on gorilla behavior), and to me it looked like the gorilla was dragging the child away from the loud noises. But, who the fuck knows what was going on in the gorilla's head.

 

[gamz]

I hate Zoo's.

 

[kirby_fox]

Seriously... is this real life?

Given this picture, I now think the zoo should be charged for both the kid's accident and the gorilla's death. The only surprising thing here is this didn't happen before.

This is exactly how majority of the zoo is, though I haven't been there in over a decade. They have small fences and a huge drop to the animal enclosure. And if you think that's weird, you'd have peacocks walking around in certain areas out in the open. No one went near them back then and there's not been an incident before to my knowledge.

So yeah, I was surprised as a kid no one ever fell in on a more constant basis. But that leads the question that's been going through this thread: is it the zoos fault, the parents, or our ever changing society that lead to this?

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

Yeah, it's crazy, reading the parent-judging and child-judging going on here. It's like people lose their minds over animal deaths, more so than over a lot of negligent/intentional human death, even.

Gorillas are perhaps self-aware and certainly amazing animals. At the end of the day, however, that's an animal, and unpredictable, and dangerous. There was only one decision to make here.



You've got to be kidding.



The parents would probably say- find that motherfucker who grabbed my child. Are you seriously saying that inattentive parents or a mischievous child are responsible for kiddy-grabbing incidents?

did you read what i wrote? i said the excuse of "welp the zoo is a busy place! i just lost track of them!" isn't a good excuse. if you can't be attentive enough to keep an eye out on your kids at the zoo, don't go to the zoo.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

sometimes, yes. unless you're suggesting that literally every car accident involving a child is the parent's fault? which would be a monstrously unconscionable stance that would condemn innocent parents who have already suffered a greater tragedy than I hope you or I would ever come to know.

again, this is not to suggest that parents are *never* culpable. But absent a poor track record, a single case is not enough to say they did worse than any other parent would have done in that situation. Life is just cruel and unfair sometimes.

it's not comparing them to "any other parent". if you are at a zoo, or anywhere else, you need to watch your kids. the car accident example was given to say that there are no "barriers" to protect a kid from running out into the middle of the street so it is up to the parents to make sure the kid knows the consequences and/or makes sure the kid doesn't do that.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Watch your fucking kids assholes

Why would you want to watch a kid's asshole?

 

[MC Safety]

I am right though. One instance of losing track of your child does not make you a bad parent. If it did, every parent would be a bad parent.

We're talking about this one time. Do your mental gymnastics elsewhere, hero.

 

[Kinyou]

Can't blame the Zoo for shooting the Gorilla, but I'd like to know why that railing is barely secured and why the parents didn't notice anything

 

[Obscura]

I just went to Brookfield Zoo today with my wife's family including her sister and 3 kids (plus my own). Zoos are very chaotic. Lots of people walking around. All it takes is 5-10 seconds for a kid to run away.

Don't assume the parents were negligent.

In a place as chaotic as a zoo if your four year old is not in your sight their hand should be clasped in yours. Not watching your child like a hawk in a chaotic environment seems negligent to me.

 

[Gravy Boat]

We're talking about this one time. Do your mental gymnastics elsewhere, hero.

What difference does it make wether it was this one time or any other time? Parents lose track of their kids all the time. It happening once doesn't automatically make them bad parents.

 

[MC Safety]

What difference does it make wether it was this one time or any other time? Parents lose track of their kids all the time. It happening once doesn't automatically make them bad parents.

It makes a difference when your child circumvents very clear barriers to wander into a gorilla enclosure.

Sorry, man. It's okay for you to be wrong on the Internet.

 

[Devil]

Crazy how much people in here judge the parents with the little information we got. With that picture of the railing, the boy could easily have been climbing through it within 3 seconds. None of you in here can claim that they have never not watched their child for such a short amount of time in a public space.

Did it all happen in just 3 seconds though? WE DON'T EVEN KNOW (we don't, do we?). Yet the possibility is disregarded immediately because it is so easy to just blame the parents. They might be shitheads, they might be great parents.

 

[Chiggs]

It makes a difference when your child circumvents very clear barriers to wander into a gorilla enclosure.

Sorry, man. It's okay for you to be wrong on the Internet.

Yeah, the outrage directed at the parents seems reasonable In this situation.

 

[Gravy Boat]

It makes a difference when your child circumvents very clear barriers to wander into a gorilla enclosure.

Sorry, man. It's okay for you to be wrong on the Internet.

I'm not wrong though. This one incident is not proof that they're bad parents on the whole. This isn't me saying they're not responsible for what happened, but it doesn't make them bad parents.

 

[Odorono]

Parents of the year.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

Do your mental gymnastics elsewhere, hero.

Sorry, man. It's okay for you to be wrong on the Internet.

It's much easier to convey your opinion if you do so without acting like a dipshit with a superiority complex lol.

Makes you seem unconfident in your argument.

 

[WickedLaharl]

I'm going to guess your opinion changes pretty quickly when it's your kid between the wild animals.

No way. I'm sure pixelpatch is firm in their convictions and would let a little leech perish to save the majestic animal.

 

[Pandy]

Between this and the guy who was mauled by lions, makes me think that zoos should HAVE BETTER RAILINGS/FENCES FOR THEIR ENCLOSURES.

It's one thing having a determined adult breach an enclosure, having a four-year old breach an enclosure means you've fucked up somewhere.

 

[Messofanego]

Yes I'm sure the gorilla's life is the mother's biggest concern right now.

The mother's concern should be how she nearly let her kid die and how she should improve on that front.

 

[Devil]

The mother's concern should be how she nearly let her kid die and how she should improve on that front.

You're talking as if you know that the parents don't hate themselves right now for not looking out, even if it were the case that they behaved entirely normal, which is a possibility.

 

[Silent Chief]

I just went to Brookfield Zoo today with my wife's family including her sister and 3 kids (plus my own). Zoos are very chaotic. Lots of people walking around. All it takes is 5-10 seconds for a kid to run away.

Don't assume the parents were negligent.

The kid could have broken his neck in the fall. The parents are probably not criminally negligent, but that's not the same as responsible.

 

[Messofanego]

You're talking as if you know that the parents don't hate themselves right now for not looking out, even if it were the case that they behaved entirely normal, which is a possibility.

All I want to hear from the mom is she'll leash her kids from now on because she's not deft enough to handle all the kids she has on her lonesome.

 

[aliengmr]

All I want to hear from the mom is she'll leash her kids from now on because she's not deft enough to handle all the kids she has on her lonesome.

But that's inhumane! They're kids, not dogs!

 

[Wilsongt]

Sad news. The parents should have kept their child within eyesight and reach. It's a shame an endangered gorilla had to die due to parents not paying enough attention.

 

[neurosyphilis]

The parents are obviously fucking idiots. How the hell do you let a 4 year old child fall 10 ft into an enclosure with a fucking Silverback Gorilla ?

 

[Lashley]

wtf were the parents doing?

idiots

 

[KazenY2J]

Why couldn't they tranquilize it instead of killing it?

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Why couldn't they tranquilize it instead of killing it?

This question has been asked like twice a page for the last ten pages now.

 

[Striker]

You look down and see that your kid disappeared in the second you looked away because of a distraction. Do you look to the crowd or the enclosure to find your kid?

More likely scenario is, get your fucking face off your phone and pay attention (at all times) to your children.

It's painfully unfortunate to see things like this. Repercussions should be at base for the parents but in all likelihood there won't be. Their bad parenting killed a Gorilla.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

Parents of the year.

lol this.

It looked like the gorilla was better at protecting the kid than his actual parents yet the gorilla is the one that was killed. Meanwhile the idiot parents are given back custody of their neglected kid and will probably score a nice settlement from the zoo.

 

[eso76]

There was probably no other way at that point, but you don't loose sight of your 4yr old, certainly not long enough for him to climb into a cage at the zoo.

 

[akira28]

bottom line I blame the parents, not the zoo. All the zoos I've been to have had low barriers like that.

although they also had signs posted that said they were electrified and that we shouldn't touch them...

 

[Darryl]

unfuckingbelievable

So the kid went under this metal railing with "securtiy ropes", through the bushes and fell into the fake river.

i like that the zoo had faith in humanities common sense. too bad it didn't work out for them

 

[Deleted member 231381]

i like that the zoo had faith in humanities common sense. too bad it didn't work out for them

This was a three-year-old kid.

 

[poppabk]

I don't believe that once incident of your child wandering off makes you a bad parent. In this case it ended badly, but it's not evidence of bad parenting.

Likewise, just because your kid didn't end up in danger doesn't make you a good parent. Let's face it, thousands of bad parents have probably lost track of a kid at that exhibit over the years, it takes an inordinate amount of bad luck to have a kid fall in the enclosure.

 

[ErnieMcCracken]

This question has been asked like twice a page for the last ten pages now.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/28/us/zoo-kills-gorilla/

Thane said zoo officials decided against shooting Harambe with a tranquilizer because the drug takes effect too slowly.

It was a 400lb gorilla, not like it was going to drop in 10 seconds.

 

[d3vnull]

I can't believe the people here defending the parents. WTF?!

 

[pgtl_10]

Because he was throwing barrels at them.

Why didn't they use a hammer to avoid the gorillas?

 

[Darryl]

This was a three-year-old kid.

did he run and jump into the cage while the parent's blinked and the bystanders were looking the other direction? i don't blame the kid but i have a hard time blaming the zoo. you can't neutralize all threats in life. zoo's aren't a playground and animal cages are an obvious safety threat for wildlings. the zoo near me has a pond of like 300 alligators and a 3 yo kid could get in there if no one was watching him.

 

[Jmanunknown]

You clearly don't have kids.

Your kid says they're going to get in the water with the gorilla, you tell them no, and expect them not to. She probably didn't think her kid would ever in a million years actually do it, and after being distracted by her other young kids she had the misfortune of finding out that she was wrong.

If your kid does not listen to you about not jumping in a dangerous animal exhibit their is a lack of respect for the child towards the parent and they probably should not be in a zoo to begin with.

It's a shitty situation, but acting like it's black and white and it's the result of bad parenting is venturing into internet mob territory. I really wish people would stop casting down judgment on shit they barely know anything about. Maybe that's asking too much on an internet forum though.

It is the result of bad parenting when your child does not listen to you about not jumping into a dangerous animal exhibit at a zoo and that the parent took their eyes off their kid and the kid did what he said he was gonna do. Yes the zoo should have measures in place against stuff like this because stuff happens sometimes and you should protect people from negligance and bad behavior but after 38 years and millions upon million of adults and little kids coming through without incident and one day a child who literally told his mother he was gonna jump into the enclosure she tells him no he obviously does not listen she takes his eyes off of him the kid jumps into the animal enclosure and now we are here with you telling me its not bad parenting.

 

[Messofanego]

I can't believe the people here defending the parents. WTF?!

Maybe they're parents themselves who lose sight of their kids and think that is just a fundamental side-effect of parenting that should be excused despite landing the kid in a near death state here.

 

[Zero315]

Crazy how much people in here judge the parents with the little information we got. With that picture of the railing, the boy could easily have been climbing through it within 3 seconds. None of you in here can claim that they have never not watched their child for such a short amount of time in a public space.

Did it all happen in just 3 seconds though? WE DON'T EVEN KNOW (we don't, do we?). Yet the possibility is disregarded immediately because it is so easy to just blame the parents. They might be shitheads, they might be great parents.

No, but we do know that a witness heard the child say he was going to climb in there. The mother just responded with "No, you're not" and somehow let the child out of her sight.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

did he run and jump into the cage while the parent's blinked and the bystanders were looking the other direction? i don't blame the kid but i have a hard time blaming the zoo. you can't neutralize all threats in life. zoo's aren't a playground and animal cages are an obvious safety threat for wildlings. the zoo near me has a pond of like 300 alligators and a 3 yo kid could get in there if no one was watching him.

Quite plausibly, yes. Did you see the security barriers? They're just two metal wires stretched between bars. A sufficiently determined small kid could dodge under those in a few seconds.

 

[Aiustis]

This is pretty sad news all around. Having been to the Cinci zoo...the enclosures suck for a lot of animals

 

[Dali]

The fucked up thing is even though the attraction has apparently had the same limited fencing for decades if these dipshit parents sued they might actually have a case.

 

[mAcOdIn]

Maybe they're parents themselves who lose sight of their kids and think that is just a fundamental side-effect of parenting that should be excused despite landing the kid in a near death state here.

Eh. I'm pretty sure all of us here have slipped away for a few moments and luckily it didn't end in a near death state, I'm not really for holding parents responsible basically by lottery. Because really, the heart of the matter is it the act of losing sight of the kid the problem or just merely that it ended badly? Is it the end result that matters or the actual act? If it is the act then all parents, ever, and in the future are fucking scumbags that should be in jail for letting their children go unsupervised, just some of them were lucky and others not so much in what the consequences were.

Which isn't to say I encourage letting your children out of sight in public but I'm not about to criminalize it

 

[TheSchwab_7]

The fucked up thing is even though the attraction has apparently had the same limited fencing for decades if these dipshit parents sued they might actually have a case.

Damn that is fucked up

 

[Dunlop]

Maybe they're parents themselves who lose sight of their kids and think that is just a fundamental side-effect of parenting that should be excused despite landing the kid in a near death state here.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...tect-child-who-fell-enclosure-witness-n582311

Article states they were taking care of multiple children. We don't know the facts and I'm sure they will come out but living in the real world it is not possible to watch your child ever second. Children fall and hurt themseleves ALL THE TIME, Obviously this is an extreme but You don't assume your kid would jump in the enclosure and also there is an assumption that the security in place would prevent such a thing from even occurring.

It's now a black or white situation, there will be enough blame to go around for the parents and the zoo.

But the rush to judgement is fucking batshit insane. People thinking that the 4 year old deserved to die for...being a curious kid (I don't mean you)

Horribly sad that they had to kill the gorilla but the kid is alive, that is the win in my book. The Zoo responded in the only way that was realistically possible to save the child.

 

[ErnieMcCracken]

The fucked up thing is even though the attraction has apparently had the same limited fencing for decades if these dipshit parents sued they might actually have a case.

They'll win or get a settlement from the zoo. I'm sure they've been getting calls from lawyers since it happened. It's bullshit, but nobody wants to be held accountable for their own actions (or inaction). It's always somebody else's fault.