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Original poster

To think it's unfair to blame the mother of child hurt by gorilla?

497 replies

pinkladyapple · 30/05/2016 22:02

Yes if she was holding his hand maybe he wouldn't have ended up in the enclosure. But he could have gone over/through the fence in a split second. And the zoo should have fencing which makes this impossible, surely?

The parents aren't being prosecuted for negligence and yet the Internet seem angry at the mother.

But then the people who think that also seem to think a tranquilliser works instantly, and the gorilla wouldn't react to the pain or impact of the dart.

It's sad and terrible though. For everyone.

OP posts:
Kimononono · 31/05/2016 00:18

I don't believe toxic would let her own child die if it was her son thst was in this situation Hmm

It was a dreadful tragic accident.

The gorilla shouldn't have been in captivity

The patents should have kept a better eye
on him

The zoo should have made it impossible for anyone to fall in.

I'm just glad I'm not reading about a small four year old being killed by a gorilla.

DeltaSunrise · 31/05/2016 00:19

Maybe the parents did fail to protect their child but ultimately the zoo failed to protect this gorilla

Also a fair point. But after 37 years (iirc, might have got that wrong) of no incidents like this before the zoo more than likely assumed that their barriers were secure enough. After this, the zoo probably will make the enclosures more secure to stop people getting in, but really, they shouldn't have to.

I do hope the child makes a full recovery.

nicenewdusters · 31/05/2016 00:20

So Toxic, you potentially have some interesting nuanced views on human warfare ?

I see you'd also be content to see another person's child killed by a wild animal if necessary, as that sits easily with your views of negligent parents and man's lack of respect for other animals.

Well in that case, excuse me if I don't give a rat's arse (or any other species arse) about your nuanced arguments. If you're for real you are a delightful addition to our species that's for sure.

Nataleejah · 31/05/2016 00:24

My own child Id have been "hand me the shotgun" of course.
Live ammunition fired in close proximity of a child. Everybody ok with that?

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 00:26

Anyway I think both this topic and the war topic make for interesting discussions, if emotion were removed from them ultimately it's down to who has the greater priority. Homo sapiens or the rest of the animal kingdom. If it's us the. Why don't we just kill everything off now and be done with it?

Well in your opinion the priority is endangered comes first, unless its your child. Then its your child that has the priority. You talk about the arrogance of humans, but you certainly have that in abundance. No one wants to see their child hurt. Including you. Many more of us are able to understand how others feel too, which is why they didn't want that child to be killed. But unless you truly believe that if your child had fallen into the pen and natural consequences should have occurred but you don't feel that when it comes to your own child then maybe that debate would be possible. But you know its the us because you are just the same, you know the reasons why, even if you only extend that to your own family and not anyone elses. The reason we attempt to look out for eachother, and agree that in this case the gorilla should be shot, is in part because we can extend that sympathy and the horror of what happened to another family, and in part because we want the same level of protection for ourselves. Thats how society should work. Looking out for eachother. And when it doesn't, then chaos begins. The bit you have missing is the looking out for others. But no doubt you would expect your own to be looked out for there. I can't imagine you would be yelling at the zoo keeper not to shoot if it was your child down there and no other alternative (aside from the death of your child due to a flimsy fence.)

monkeywithacowface · 31/05/2016 00:27

But that's the thing life/nature it's all unpredictable and I think if something is possible then it is inevitable even though it may take 37 years. The chances of a child getting in were slim but whoever designed the zoo knew it was possible, they played the odds and were lucky for a long time.

FellOutOfBed2wice · 31/05/2016 00:30

Christ, some of the opinions I've read about this tonight. People are loopy. Never occurred to me that my daughter could get in an enclosure at a zoo. Not for a second. And the idea that natural consequences should have played out? Come on Toxic, punchline now please because that was obviously a joke, no?

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 31/05/2016 00:33

By afoot I mean we're bot getting the full story.

Seriously, with the health and safety stuff we have to go through now for the simplest thing how did the child get in? I mean really? Holes in fences shouldn't be a thing, especially not in a zoo. It really should be checked daily.

Ditto the lion man. How did he get in? They were fucking lions. Why was it not locked and double locked and only chief zookeeper have the keys? Cats can climb. If he can get in, they can get out.

There has to be more to it. It really can't be as simple as 'a gap in the fence'. It can't.

There's something else.

Kimononono · 31/05/2016 00:34

I don't think toxic actually has children. No sane parent would leave the fate of their four year old up to a bloody gorilla.

Maybe toxics pets are her kids, I know people like this ..

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 00:41

Its not a joke though is it felloutofbed as Toxic would be happy to stand by and watch another child die natural consequences but that logic doesn't apply to her own. Which is really quite sickening. If it was toxics child, or anyone elses child in danger, then I would do whatever I could to help them. Even if I don't know them. But that fact that she/he does not extend that to my child, or anyone elses that is not her own is really quite sickening. To say toxic not a nice person is a huge understatement. But I don't think theres many words that describe a person like that.

ollieplimsoles · 31/05/2016 00:43

Sorry monkey but exactly what point did I miss?

Your misguided attempt to make a point about parental slip ups by comparing a child falling off a bed to a child being allowed to fall into a gorilla enclosure?

Or the fact that I'm apparently living in a 'bubble' because I wouldn't let my child find herself in the situation that the four year old in question did?

Do I make mistakes- yes
Would I let my child fall into a fenced off enclosure full of dangerous and volatile animals- no, no I fucking wouldn't.

It just pisses me off the mother doesn't seem to give too shits about the fact that an endangered animal had to be destroyed because of her lax parenting. She's just writing it off as 'one of those things'. Then having the audacity to say that God was protecting her son til the gunman arrived! So the divine protection only started after he fell into the exhibit then?

Just admit you should have watched him more closely and apologise about the gorilla.

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 00:45

There has to be more to it. It really can't be as simple as 'a gap in the fence'. It can't.

Someone posted a picture of said fence upthread. When my ds was 4 he could have easily scaled that in seconds.

Nataleejah · 31/05/2016 00:48

Its no doubt that people put a child's life before another species.
But if it comes about somebody else's child's life or health over material goods -- it would be completely different responses.

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 00:51

But if it comes about somebody else's child's life or health over material goods -- it would be completely different responses

I don't think so. Examples?

IPityThePontipines · 31/05/2016 00:53

But if it comes about somebody else's child's life or health over material goods -- it would be completely different responses.

No it wouldn't, so stop making things up.

Nataleejah · 31/05/2016 00:58

Easy. Children needing expensive medical treatment currently unavailable. Pfff... Tough luck.
Or refugee children drowning. Whatever. As long as they don't reach OUR borders.
I will not continue, no wish to derail the thread.

kali110 · 31/05/2016 01:00

I blame both parents equally.
I have no sympathy now as she isn't even sorry and is now threatening to sue the zoo.
I hope action is taken against them.

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 01:04

I have no sympathy now as she isn't even sorry and is now threatening to sue the zoo.

Yeah well. I can see her point. Seeing as the boundaries were woefully inadequate.

ArrestedDevelopment · 31/05/2016 01:05

Who thinks the mother/father of the boy will try and sue?

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 01:07

Easy. Children needing expensive medical treatment currently unavailable. Pfff... Tough luck. Or refugee children drowning. Whatever. As long as they don't reach OUR borders.

No. I don't think the majority feel like this and the response on here would mainly not all be sorrow and outrage.

Nataleejah · 31/05/2016 01:09

On here of course. On the level who makes decisions -- not so much

DancingDinosaur · 31/05/2016 01:13

Sadly I would agree with that.

NickiFury · 31/05/2016 01:30

Some absolute fucking idiots on this thread. Do you honestly think that the zoo keepers, who had already managed to get two gorillas locked safely away didn't look at this situation and know what had to be done. They'd have been trained and drilled for it and this would have been the last resort. So no, no tranquillisers. Also I don't believe any parent here who says they haven't lost sight of their child for a few heart stopping minutes. That child could have got through there in less than thirty seconds - just enough time for the PARENTS to realise they were missing a child and start calling and looking, never imagining it was possible he could get into the enclosure. Yes it's horribly sad and I wish it hadn't have happened but it did and it should never have been possible for anyone to get in there, let alone a clueless four year old.

As to let nature take its course? Oh just wake up to yourself.

TealLove · 31/05/2016 01:37

The mother is behaving like a total prick. She hasn't expressed any regret whatsoever at the animals demise and has started talking about God protecting her son. She is a stupid idiot.

HelenaDove · 31/05/2016 01:38

Nicki i think part of the problem has been the attitude shown by the childs mother since the incident. She could have at the very least mentioned her regret about Harambe just once in that fb message.

The 74 year old carer of Harambe has been in tears over it.