Most serial killers admitted to a fascination with death at a vey young age, often taking out their fantasies on poor defensless animals. If that's the case: Meet the next big serial killer.

Aussie boy breaks into zoo, feeds animals to croc
October 3, 2008 - 3:31am


In this CCTV image provided by the Alice Springs Reptile Centre, a 7-year-old boy throws a turtle over a wall in Alice Springs, Australia, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008. The boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said Friday. (AP Photo/Alice Springs Reptile Centre, HO)

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - A 7-year-old boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said Friday.

The 30-minute rampage, caught on the zoo's security camera, happened early Wednesday after the boy jumped a security fence at the Alice Springs Reptile Center in central Australia, said zoo director Rex Neindorf.

The child then went on a killing spree, bashing three lizards to death with a rock, including the zoo's beloved, 20-year-old goanna, which he then fed to "Terry," an 11-foot, 440-pound saltwater crocodile, said Neindorf.

The boy also fed several live animals to Terry by throwing them over the two fences surrounding the crocodile's enclosure, at one point climbing over the outer fence to get closer to the giant reptile.

In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said, adding: "It was like he was playing a game."

By the time he was done, 13 animals worth around $5,500 had been killed, including a turtle, bearded dragons and thorny devil lizards, Neindorf said. Although none were considered rare, some are difficult to replace, he said.

"We're horrified that anyone can do this and saddened by the age of the child," Neindorf said.

Alice Springs police said they are unable to press charges against the boy because of his age. Children under age 10 can't be charged with criminal offenses in the Northern Territory. His name was not released because of his age.

Neindorf said he plans to sue the boy's parents.

The boy's small size is probably the reason he didn't trip the zoo's security system, which relies on sensors to detect intruders, Neindorf said.

"I just want people to learn that they can't let their children go and run amok," Neindorf said. "If we can't put the blame onto the child, then someone has to accept the responsibility."

when I heard this on the radio this morning it made me ill.

Oh my god! That's one of the worst things I've ever seen.

I expected a thread about Clay Aiken's kid. Did you see that little mutant?

Since it's not, why not see if the croc's still hungry? I'm not saying he has to kill the kid, but maybe a few hours trapped just out of reach of the croc or maybe just an arm.

Very sad.

How does a 7 year old have the opportunity to be away alone like this?

Throw the boy to the croc.... nuff said....

I don't wanna hear even one person say he needs help or any other bullshit....some people are BORN broken...throw his ass to the croc and let Terry deal with him.....

pardonme4livin said:

Comments like this are part of the problem.

JustErin said:

Okay Erin.....

Michael Myers

pardonme4livin said:

You seriously, as a grown, educated adult think that some people are actually born 'broken' or evil?

spelling edit
[Edited 10/3/08 8:20am]

JustErin said:

Actually I know for a fact that some people are born broken. My wife is a school teacher for special needs (not physically impared) kids and through her studies and mine, there are numerous examples of pschizophenic, bipolar, multiple personalities and many other conditions that cause young people (in some incidents) to be homicidal or destructive to life in surroundings that are completely normal with the exception of this person.

Do you believe that this is not possible?

pardonme4livin said:

Born broken or evil? No.

Do I also think that these people should just be thrown away like you pretty much suggested in your first post? No.

JustErin said:

I'm not trying to talk you in to anything Erin... I dig you...let's just agree to disagree....

I just believe that people dismiss those that are very troubled as born evil or broken to absolve themselves of any responsibility.

That's very scary to me.

JustErin said:

That's the problem. All kids are going to do evil shit if they have no guidance. Good & evil are just concepts and kids have to be taught that it's wrong to be cruel.

to me it seems no less odd than an adult who owns pets and feeds live animals to them.
im not familiar with how 7 year old minds work, but i imagine that he obsessed over watching the aligator eat like seemingly regualr people do when they feed mice to pet snakes.

horatio said:

That explanation of this behaviour makes total sense to me. Maybe he saw a feeding earlier at the zoo - because we all know that zoos make a huge deal about showing off their feedings and for some reason people just love seeing that kinda thing - and that's considered normal.


To just dismiss this kid as evil or broken is the worst thing you can do, imo.

JustErin said:

Because his parents are useless shits who should never be allowed to have kids.

I can't wait to see the headlines 20-30 years from now.

horatio said:

Okay... then, explain the bashing of the lizards' and turtles' heads with a rock?

These actions go beyond the normal curious child... it's definitely worthy of some psychological (sp?) review.

June7 said:

Cloudbuster said:

omg, was it bad that made laugh out loud?

I know someone retarded like that.....he's 46 years old.

Cloudbuster said:

June7 said:

He wanted to kill it before he fed it to the croc? Don't we also kill our food before eating it?

Look, I'm not saying the kid is not troubled - I don't know but it's probably not such a black and white issue here.

JustErin said:

Maybe...just maybe it is though Erin....you seem terribly defensive....

I too only know what was reported in THIS instance....so perhaps there is MUCH more to this story.....but maybe not...you certainly must realize that it is possible this kid has some serious psychological issues that manifested themselves in to this incident.....just sayin'...

It may also be perspective....you have a young boy at home and maybe it's a mother's intuition that makes you protective over him...I have an 8 year old boy too and comparing them to me makes my perspective easy to see.

I dunno...I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist...I am not an expert in behavioral studies and I certainly am not qualified to make a clinical diagnosis...BUT I do have an opinion and life experience that tells me there is something VERY wrong with that boy....and at 7 years old to simply break in to the zoo is one thing...but to then enter various enclosures and kill the occupants...feeding some to the croc....whatever...if these were humans, we'd be talking about pre-meditated murder....not curiosity or anything else

My opinion folks....

JustErin said:

No, we don't. We go to the store and it's already done for us. We go to burger joints and it's already prepared for us. We go to restaurants and it's already cooked and served for us.

Unless he grew up on a farm (which could be the case, but that we don't know) and they slaughter their own food, skin it and prepare it, then there's no excuse for him to "kill the food" before feeding them to the croc. Also, it was reported that he only did that with a few of the reptiles, the others he threw in alive to die mercilessly.

Another point. I have raised three children and was actually a stay-at-home dad for their first five years, and I always knew where my kids were. Where were his parents? How do you not know where your 7 year old child is for around an hour???

This is truly a very sad case.

pardonme4livin said:

You think looking at the bigger picture and taking into account several possibilities is being 'terribly defensive'?

And if you actually read my posts (and absorbed them) I did not dismiss that the child may have some serious issues.

Having a son has nothing to do with my perspective on things. My opinion on these kinds of things were the same long before he came along.

I have life experience as well...we all do.

And you're right. You certainly are not a psychiatrist or psychologist or an expert in behavioral studies or qualified to make a clinical diagnosis.

So let's just leave your post on that note.

pardonme4livin said:

You admit there is something "wrong" with the child and then scoff at the idea of wanting to help him, you'd rather he be put to death.

That's utterly absurd and incredibly disturbing.