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| Snake 'strangles two children' in New Brunswick, Canada | Snake 'strangles two children' in New Brunswick, Canada |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A snake escaped from a pet shop and killed two children in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, police say. | A snake escaped from a pet shop and killed two children in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, police say. |
| In a statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they believed the reptile had strangled two boys, aged five and seven, in Campbellton. | In a statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they believed the reptile had strangled two boys, aged five and seven, in Campbellton. |
| The boys were staying overnight at a friend's apartment above the pet shop. | The boys were staying overnight at a friend's apartment above the pet shop. |
| Police said they believe the snake slipped out of its cage overnight and travelled through the ventilation. The serpent has been captured by police. | Police said they believe the snake slipped out of its cage overnight and travelled through the ventilation. The serpent has been captured by police. |
| 'Tragedy' | 'Tragedy' |
| Officers were called to the address on Monday morning where the two boys were found dead, said a police statement. The flat was located above the Reptile Ocean exotic pet store. | Officers were called to the address on Monday morning where the two boys were found dead, said a police statement. The flat was located above the Reptile Ocean exotic pet store. |
| "The preliminary investigation has led police to believe that a large exotic snake had escaped its enclosure at the store sometime overnight, and got into the ventilation system, then into the upstairs apartment," said the statement. | "The preliminary investigation has led police to believe that a large exotic snake had escaped its enclosure at the store sometime overnight, and got into the ventilation system, then into the upstairs apartment," said the statement. |
| Post-mortem examinations will be performed on the two boys, thought to be brothers, on Tuesday. No charges have been laid so far. | Post-mortem examinations will be performed on the two boys, thought to be brothers, on Tuesday. No charges have been laid so far. |
| Campbellton's deputy mayor, Ian Comeau, said the incident was a "tragedy". | Campbellton's deputy mayor, Ian Comeau, said the incident was a "tragedy". |
| "The city is in shock," he added. | "The city is in shock," he added. |
| Experts say attacks by exotic snakes are extremely rare. | |
| David Rogrigue, director of Montreal's Ecomuseum Zoo, told Agence France-Presse news agency that this attack was "difficult to believe... very, very extraordinary, and very improbable". | |
| In a Facebook message, Reptile Ocean wrote: "Deepest sympathies goes out to the family of the children. A terrible accident without a meaning." | In a Facebook message, Reptile Ocean wrote: "Deepest sympathies goes out to the family of the children. A terrible accident without a meaning." |
| The store said it would temporarily suspend its online account because users had posted "demeaning comments". | The store said it would temporarily suspend its online account because users had posted "demeaning comments". |
| Initial reports suggested the reptile may have been a boa constrictor, but officials later said they believed it was an African rock python. | Initial reports suggested the reptile may have been a boa constrictor, but officials later said they believed it was an African rock python. |
| The owner of Reptile Ocean told CTV News that he had had the snake since 2001. | The owner of Reptile Ocean told CTV News that he had had the snake since 2001. |