CAMPBELLTON, N.B.: \u00a0 Jean-Claude Savoie is facing trial for criminal negligence in the deaths of two sleeping boys killed by a 4.7-meter snake. \u00a0Savoie owned the Reptile Ocean pet store below his Campbellton apartment. \u00a0The boys were having a sleepover with his son.<\/p>\n
An African rock python escaped its enclose\u00a0through an uncovered vent and\u00a0the snake was able to cross through the vent and drop into the living room.<\/p>\n
A constable\u00a0testified that he found Savoie wearing a bloody shirt, two boys who were beyond medical help, and the African Rock Python in the laundry room. \u00a0The two boys were covered in red marks, and one had a lot of wounds. \u201cI knew at the time not much could be done,\u201d said the constable. \u201cThere was lots of blood.\u201d \u00a0He said a paramedic examined the boys, but nothing could be done.<\/p>\n
The Crown attorney told the jury the python had tried to escape before and that Mr. Savoie committed a breach of duty to take care of those children when they were left with him by their mother. \u00a0He didn\u2019t kill them himself but he failed to take precautions.<\/p>\n
The Crown attorney also called the deaths of the boys a sad story, a tragic story. \u00a0Savoie was a friend of the family\u00a0who had taken the boys for a sleepover with his son.<\/p>\n
Another police officer who responded to the scene also told the court that he observed the python being very aggressive after it was put back into its enclosure. \u201cIt was standing on its tail and charging the glass,\u201d the officer\u00a0said. \u201cI observed the snake trying to reach the vent hole in the ceiling.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the trial got underway, the judge instructed the four-man, eight-woman jury about the presumption of innocence, and that\u00a0Savoie starts with a \u201cclean slate\u201d at the beginning of the trial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"