Boy, 7, goes on rampage at Aussie zoo

[Chacor]

How can a 7-year-old possibly do this? I'm stunned.

Boy fed zoo reptiles to crocodile

A seven-year-old boy has been filmed going on the rampage at a popular zoo in Australia, killing rare reptiles and feeding live ones to a crocodile.

Footage from the security cameras at Alice Springs Reptile Centre caught the child smiling as he killed a total of 13 animals.

During his 30-minute spree, he was seen hurling the animals over the security fence into the crocodile enclosure.

Zoo officials described the boy's actions as "unbelievable".

They are considering suing the parents as the boy is too young to be prosecuted.

The attack happened on Wednesday morning after the boy entered the zoo by jumping over the security fence and evading sensor alarms.

Over the next half hour, he bludgeoned some of the animals to death with stones and hurled others over the two fences surrounding the crocodile enclosure.

At one point, he tried scaling the outer enclosure himself to get to "Terry", the 11ft (3.3m) saltwater crocodile.

A turtle, four Western blue-tongued lizards, two bearded dragons, two thorny devil lizards and the zoo's 20-year-old goanna were among those killed.

Zoo director Rex Neindorf said many of the animals were rare or mature and would be difficult to replace.

"The fact a seven-year-old can wreak so much havoc in such a short time, it's unbelievable," he told Reuters news agency.

Mr Neindorf said the boy had "clammed up" when questioned by police.

As children under the age of 10 cannot be held accountable for their actions in the Northern Territory, the zoo would be seeking to take action against the parents.

"We'll be looking at suing the parents, who were supposedly in control of him at the time," he said.

[Category 5]

The parents were in control of him? If that's the case they should go to prison.

[AJC3]

Wherever this kid goes, even into adulthood, EVERYONE in the town where he lives needs to keep an eye out for him. You gotta have some serious issues to show such callous disregard for living creatures at a zoo.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Wherever this kid goes, even into adulthood, EVERYONE in the town where he lives needs to keep an eye out for him. You gotta have some serious issues to show such callous disregard for living creatures at a zoo.

Serial killers supposedly usually have a history of killing/torturing animals.

[Ptarmigan]

Parents need to be charged in this case.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Parents need to be charged in this case.

By in control, I think they meant, should have been in control. I don't think the parents knew what their future sociopath was doing...

[FireBird]

The observation that this child had a blank stare bespeaks some serious psychological problems. I only hope that he will receive the medical attention and intervention needed to rehabilitate him, and that his parents not allow pride to prevent them from seeking the appropriate care.

[vbhoutex]

Parents need to be charged in this case.

By in control, I think they meant, should have been in control. I don't think the parents knew what their future sociopath was doing...

Which is why they should be charged.

[Derek Ortt]

send him to Sheriff Joe in Arizona. A few years in that type of jail (hope he likes moldy food) may straighten him out and teach him that there are serious consequences for one's actions

[Ptarmigan]

send him to Sheriff Joe in Arizona. A few years in that type of jail (hope he likes moldy food) may straighten him out and teach him that there are serious consequences for one's actions

While, we're at it, we can send OJ Simpson to Sheriff Joe for the rest of his life. Same goes with Fred Phelps/WBC and Lori Drew.

[HurricaneBill]

It sounds like this kid has a few screws loose. Such destructive behavior at an early age is not a good sign.

Studies have shown there is a strong link between cruelty to animals and violence against people.