Teen killed by tiger while posing for pic

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Tiger kills Kansas teen posing for photo

Animal got loose from handler at sanctuary

 

The Associated Press

Updated: 10:46 a.m. ET Aug. 19, 2005

 

 

MOUND VALLEY, Kan. - A Siberian tiger attacked and killed a teenage girl who was posing for photos at a family-run animal sanctuary Thursday in southeast Kansas, authorities said.

 

The Labette County Sheriff’s office identified the victim as Haley Hilderbrand, 17, of Altamont. A statement from the office said Hilderbrand was at the Lost Creek Animal Sanctuary posing for photos with the 7-year-old tiger, which was being restrained by its handler, when the animal turned and attacked her.

 

Officers and handlers killed the animal. Emergency personnel were not able to revive Hilderbrand.

 

"This animal had been around people across the country and there's never been a problem," Sheriff William Blundell said in a telephone interview.

 

Doug Billingsly and his family opened the 80-acre sanctuary in 1994. According to the sanctuary’s Web site, its animals include lions, leopards, tigers and bears. The site says the sanctuary has an affiliated Animal Entertainment Productions, which trains animals for stage performances, movies, television shows and magic shows.

 

Billingsly didn’t immediately return a phone call for comment.

 

© 2005 The Associated Press.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

If I lived in Kansas, I know I'd want to have my picture taken with a tiger...

[Vampiro69 0]

Haven't people learned since the Sigfried and Roy incident?

[CBright7831 0]

Officers and handlers killed the animal. Emergency personnel were not able to revive Hilderbrand.

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Hate to hear it on both accounts.

[Sideburnious 0]

Officers and handlers killed the animal. Emergency personnel were not able to revive Hilderbrand.

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Hate to hear it on both accounts.

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Yeah, it was a bit stupid to kill the Tiger. I mean, it's not exactly a species that is over populated. They could have at least just kept it was from people.

 

As Chris Rock said: "That Tiger didn't go crazy, that Tiger went Tiger".

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Why is it whenever a "trained" animal kills someone the animal gets killed, but when a bunch of snot-nosed punks torture a kitten nothing happens to them?...

[Ravenbomb 0]

because kittens don't have souls

[NoCalMike 0]

Once again Nature weeds out the stupid.

[Vampiro69 0]

Kittens are EVIL indeed.

[ulfistgut 0]

I may be missing something but where exactly in that report does it say anything along the lines of 'animal kills girl for stupid acts'

 

All I gathered was there was a tragic event where a tiger which was being held by a handler (assumedly for pictures) attacked a young woman.

Mmm, yes - that would definately be nature weeding out the stupid.

[King Kamala 0]

That's gonna be one terrible senior picture.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alright I'm going to hell now for making that joke.

[Fartsauce 0]

Tony The Tiger was not available for comment.

[Golgo 13 0]

Eh. I don't really see how this is Darwin Award material. The girl from all accounts was as innocent in all this as the tiger was. She just wanted a fucking picture, it's not like she openly teased and taunted the tiger before it happened, ensuring that she would definitely get hurt (like the stunt show imitators, for instance, aka those who really deserve the Darwin distinction).

 

Yeah, posing with an animal that isn't fit for domestication or interaction with hordes of people isn't wise, since we hear about these stories all the time. But for all anyone knew, the thing was as tame as a wild primal creature can be, and the handlers were there to presumably do their jobs and make sure nothing happened. The girl had no reason to believe she was anything but safe.

 

The only thing I wish is that the animal had turned on its handlers, trainers, etc., instead of the girl.

[spiny norman 0]

Hey, like, this person was swimming and then got eaten by a shark. That will show them! Everyone knows that sharks are in the water, you'd have to be pretty stupid to go there!

 

If a tiger mauled 50% of the people who posted in this thread, then we could have a giggle at nature killing off the imbeciles.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

That's gonna be one terrible senior picture.......

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Not when there's Photoshop/airbrushes...

[Ripper 0]

Haven't people learned since the Sigfried and Roy incident?

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That Tiger didn't attack him.

 

and this is a sad story. Its not like the story of the 21 year old chick that worked at the Zoo that was showing off for her family by putting her arm in the tiger cage and getting it torn off. THAT shit is funny. This is just unfortunate that the girl died and that they killed the tiger.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

So far this year I've read stories about horse-fucker, dog rapists, and now this. I think I may starting to love America.