A vigil will be held tonight to honour the two boys who were found dead after a large snake escaped from its enclosure above an exotic pet store in Campbellton, N.B.
Police say the large African rock python killed Noah Barthe, 4, and Connor Barthe, 6, and have launched a criminal investigation into their deaths.
Autopsies were performed on Tuesday to determine the exact cause of the two boys' deaths. RCMP Sgt. Alain Tremblay said Tuesday that it wasn't clear when results would be available, but he expected they would shed some light on what happened to the boys.
The snake has also been put down and sent to Fredericton for a necropsy.
The African rock python was found near the boys in the living room of an apartment above the reptile store on Monday morning by owner Jean-Claude Savoie. Noah and Connor were staying there for a sleepover.
Police said Tuesday that contrary to previous reports the snake was not kept in the store but was contained upstairs.
It's believed the animal escaped through the top of a glass enclosure and into a ventilation system. The python, which was 4.3 metres long and weighed about 45 kilograms, fell through the ceiling and into the room where the two boys were sleeping.
Zoo assisting police
The Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton has very strict protocols regarding enclosures for snakes, particularly pythons, said manager Bruce Dougan.
"You have to be very, very careful in providing an enclosure for these animals so they cannot get out, because they are very, very good at getting out of their spaces," he told CBC News.
The zoo's enclosures have double-locked doors, there is only one exit point, and any "soft spots" such as vents would be double-barricaded, said Dougan.
The zoo, which is assisting police with the investigation, does not have any African rock pythons, but does have 12 big snakes, including a Burmese python.
When zoo staff enter a snake enclosure, they also have an airlock system in place, said Dougan. They go through one door, close that door behind them, and then enter the second door.
When handling the snakes, staff also ensure they don't have the scent of any possible food sources, such as rodents, on their hands, he said.
"Very often people would not be a target for big snakes like this because we have many other odours on us. We have deodorants and different perfumes from laundry soaps and other things that they would not recognize as a food source."
The boys, however, spent their last day on a farm, in close contact with animals, according to a relative.
"So you know, that certainly could have [been] a factor in this case."
Police asked zoo staff to identify the species of snake involved and to assess the health of other animals kept at Reptile Ocean, said Dougan.
"We did identify the snake as an African rock python, and we provided some information with regards to the health of the collection of animals there," he said without elaborating.
Zoo staff may be called upon to testify if the case ends up in court, Dougan added.
Happy last day
A great uncle of the two boys, Dave Rose, said that they and their mother were friends with Savoie, and had spent the day together on Sunday. They spent part of their time at Savoie's family farm.
"There they played with llamas and goats and horses," Rose said Tuesday. "They went for a ride on the farm tractor with Jean-Claude, and he even let them steer the tractor, so it was a super day."
The two families returned to Savoie's apartment for the sleepover, and they separated around midnight.
Rose also thanked the public for their support and asked for privacy.
The vigil for the two boys is expected to start at 8 p.m. AT. in Campbellton.
Previous complaints will be probed
Earlier Tuesday, a New Brunswick government official said African rock pythons are not permitted under the province's exotic wildlife regulations.
Ian Comeau, Campbellton's deputy mayor and chair of the city's public protective services, said Tuesday previous complaints against the exotic pet store, Reptile Ocean, will be examined.
Many in the community of 7,500 said they are shocked by what happened, some adding that they had visited the store.
Betty Tremblay said she couldn't understand why someone would keep an African rock python.
"I thought it was horrible; you can't keep animals like that in a house, shocking," she said. "I can't imagine what these people are going through."
A small memorial to the victims has been set up outside Reptile Ocean, including several teddy bears and candles.
The local pharmacy, Jean Coutu, has set up a donation bin to help raise money for the boys' funerals.
An account has also been set up at Toronto-Dominion Bank in Campbellton, according to the Connor and Noah Barthe Dedication Page on Facebook.
The page, which was set up on Tuesday to show support for the family, had more than 10,000 "likes" within 24 hours.
"Heaven now has two new angels," it states.
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