CINCINNATI - A man who shows snakes and other reptiles at schools, festivals and libraries says a boy who told the man he hated snakes stomped and killed the man's 10-foot-long python. Scott Braunstein said he was showing Popcorn, a nonpoisonous albino Burmese python, Sunday at the St. Bernadette Festival near Cincinnati.


"The next thing I know ... the kid raises his leg and stomps down on the snake's head," Braunstein said. "The snake started convulsing."

Braunstein said he saw a man grab the child and say, "This is why I don't take you anywhere," before disappearing.

"I've never, never, had anything like that happen," said Braunstein, who operates House of Reptiles, based in Dry Ridge, Ky.

Braunstein's collection includes alligators, lizards, spiders and frogs. For two years, Braunstein's animals have been featured in a petting zoo at the festival.

"Scott's business is to educate people about reptiles, and his goal is for people to learn to appreciate rather than fear the reptiles that share this planet with us," said Dan Meakin, who founded All Creatures Animal Hospital in Amelia, Ohio.

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Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww poooooooooooooooooooooooor ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssnake. so rare too, such a shame.
if i did that i would get my @$$ whooped.
i feel so bad for the snake
wish i could care like this when it came to ppl....[walks back into theropist office.]

I would have reallly hurt that boy if that was my snake! I mean like a knife in the gut or something. I don't even let other people feed my little python. I can understand being afraid, but what did that snake ever do to him?

if i was the owner of the snake, i'll smack that boy's mouth until bleed, or bang his head to table until he cries in pain. sick sissy kid! if he's afraid why he come to reptil show ???

Disappearing, eh? Nice to know there are so many good parents out there.



I hope Scott sticks with his mission despite this setback. Violent children who kill animals for little to no reason and parents that allow such behavoir hinder the missions like Scott Braunstein.

Ah! Aren't bratty children and the parents who cannot control them just grande? I mean seriously, what says "Thank you for the presentation on snakes, I really learned a lot!" more than stomping on the poor mans beloved snake? Not only being a cherished member of a reptile house, I would also imagine such an exotic animal to have a somewhat fine price tag.

Don't you just love children?

Damn...what a rotten kid

Poor Popcorn

That snake did nothing to him so the child should die. In a perfect world he'd die by being stomped on as well.

How did the child get close enough to do that to the snake in the first place, though?

When my daughters school had a man come to teach them about reptiles, he invited the kids to touch and hold those that were safe. Mabey thats how the kid got close enough to it, I just feel so sorry for the man and his poor snake! And can you imagine the trauma the other kids went through to see such cruelty? I hope the parents of that brat have to pay for the snake, though that just doesn,t seem to cut it enough with me! But what else could be done?

Yeah,and did the kid say he hated snakes before or after the man came in with them?

Good question! And you would think the parent who was with him would have had an idea how his kid might behave, the man was quoted as saying "This is why i can never take you anywhere" Or something to that effect!

parent : "get closer boy, that's your enemy right there.. what ya gonna do boy ?"
kid : " i'll teach em lesson dad!"

i think both of them are stupid

you know, i hoped this kid got his butt beaten for this. henece the disappearing...poor poor snake. it didn't do nothing!!!! awwww, now i'm sad...

I say we find the boy and pit him against rattlesnakes and pythons in an arena; let's see how brave he is then.

Poor snake. I hope the kid lives with the guilt. I feel bad for the guy who owned that snake.

Why did I have to read this? I have got to learn to kill that freaking curious cat inside of me. This is so sad!

"This is why I can't take you anywhere!" That's ALL the parent said?! He didn't say anything to the snake owner, or see if he could help or at least make the horrible child apologize! None of that could make up for it, but something should have been done!

If I was that guy, I'd call the cops or sue them or something. There's got to be something they can do, that's cruelty to animals right there. The kid should be punished for it and his idiot parent too!

People like this make me sick and I'm glad I wasn't there because I'd probably be in big trouble right now for smashing that kid's face in. How old was he, anyway?

If a parent or guardian knows that a child is afraid of any reptile, why would they allow him to get close in the first place..The kid should have stood in the back and watched from there...Hands on is important to these kids, and we have had owners bring in all sorts of reptiles to classes, where the kids learn about them...Obviously this is one rotten kid with parents to match..

I guess he took the bible a little to seriouslly and took revenge on the snake for making him live with the original sin

i say put the little @$$ munch in a juvenile detention center for a few months! solitary confinement! i guarantee he will never do some thing that cruel ever again!

I have to agree with everyone who said " Why did his Father even bring the child to such a event?" In my eyes the father is the more Guilty person here! Knowing that the child has a fear of something, and then putting the kid in a position to have to deal with in a very unfair way. I in KNOW WAY say the kid is without fault, He needs to be dealt with and SEVERLY!!!! Dad's the real Monster, But i say " TO THE PIT WITH THEM, BOTH!!! " I'll dig it real DEEP> HAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAA !!!!! Come here my precious, I've got something for you!!!

yup. he do it for teaching children about reptiles, that a good purpose. but a stupid kid ruining it all. i hope he's still do that (showing reptiles for children)



that boy is not afraid, just hate. evil kid that should be punish with his dad too

they took it in because due to its colour it wouldnt survive in the wild and some kid goes and kills it its just not fair especailly if its nonvenemous

I'm pretty sure that they didn't take it in from the wild. Burmese pythons are breed in captivity and sold as pets; more than likely the albinism is a breed trait. And to make this even worse, Burmese pythons are mostly easy-going snakes. Nothing like a reticulated python (longest snakes in world; have been known to kill humans).

And if you guys wanted to see what this deceased snake looks like, here is a picture. They are really beautiful snakes.

aww that snake is sooooooooooooo beauitful!!!!
if that was my kid, he wouldn't be able to sit down for weeks!!!!
squshing the head of a snake, how would you like it if some1 did that u 2 ya little brat!
another reason why i think kids are brats and not angels...

Wow. That really is pretty. Thanks for sharing the picture.

Who said the kid was afraid? THe father didn't stick around long enough to try to explain (or heck, apologize or deliver a public beating to the cheering of the crowd). In my opinion, this kid was just bad.

i couldn't agree more.

The man who took the kid away saying "This is why I don't take you anywhere" insinuates that the kid is inclined to do wicked things.

The kid needs a bloody psychologist, he is sadistic and cruel

I feel for the snake's owner, he is doing his best by trying to bring awareness to people with his reptiles and should be commended for his efforts. I really hope he continues and this has not put him off.

Regarding the snake, I sure hope it died extremely quickly and did not suffer.

This act is deplorable and diabolical.

I for one cannot stand snakes.....just terrified off them!!! But I sure do hope someone put a whole heaps of snakes in this boy's bed while he's asleep and see he's reaction with them then. mwahahaha