The trial of Jean-Claude Savoie, a former pet store owner charged with criminal negligence causing death, is underway. \u00a0The court heard emotional testimony from the mother of\u00a0of two young New Brunswick boys who were suffocated by a python in Savoie’s apartment.<\/p>\n
Mandy Trecartin said she had no reservations about leaving her four-year-old and six-year-old sons\u00a0for a sleepover at the apartment.<\/p>\n
Trecartin, 35, told the court she probably saw the 18-foot long python in an enclosure in Savoie’s apartment daily.<\/p>\n
She said shortly before 7 a.m. the next morning, Savoie was banging on her door and saying that his snake\u00a0had escaped and killed the boys.<\/p>\n
It’s thought the African Rock Python\u00a0went\u00a0into a ventilation duct and fell into the living room where the boys were sleeping.<\/p>\n
Ocean Eagles, a former volunteer at Savoie’s pet store, testified she had placed a cover over the opening of the ventilation duct weeks earlier as\u00a0Savoie had told her the snake had managed to get halfway out of the duct. \u00a0Eagles said she could never imagine that such a large snake could fit through the duct.<\/p>\n
Before being dismissed as a witness, the judge gave\u00a0Eagles a book of evidence photos and questioned her about ceiling tiles and the air vent. In the book, Eagles accidentally came across a photo of the dead boys. \u00a0“Oh my God,” she said, breaking into tears. “That’s never going to get out of my mind.”<\/p>\n
The judge\u00a0apologized profusely.<\/p>\n
More witnesses are expected to\u00a0be called today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"