A 2-year-old boy was viciously mauled to death by a pack of wild African Painted dogs after he fell into the animals’ enclosure at the Pittsburgh Zoo Sunday morning.
Maddox Derkosh had “no chance” after he lost his balance and tumbled off the railing where his mother placed him to stand.
Maddox apparently fell head first, landing in a netting which was designed to catch small objects, not humans. Maddox bounced off the netting and onto the ground near the dogs.
The above simulation graphic by ABC News shows how Maddox stood on the railing before he fell.
Zoo officials said the 11-foot fall didn’t kill Maddox before the dogs disemboweled the little boy. As the dogs attacked the screaming child, zoo officials fired tranquilizer darts and a police officer opened fire, killing one of the wild dogs.
“Unfortunately, the dogs were in pack mentality and not responding to zookeepers efforts to control them,” zoo officials said in a statement.
The African Painted Dogs are the most deadly predatory doglike animals of the Serengeti Plain.
Both parents were sedated after the noon accident on Sunday. “[The parents] went nowhere without Maddox. I cannot imagine the dark cloud that is following them,” said family neighbor Rachel Majcher.
More from Sandrarose.com:
OMG
How did he fall in there????? RIP Maddox
Sandra, I read the mother put the boy on the railing and he lost his balance
Tacky pic…Check
What, no accusations?! No wondering why these parents didn’t die trying to save their baby?!
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RIP baby!
This is so sad! Other news outlets, were sayin the mother put him on the ledge or banister…I can only imagine her grief! Such a tragic way to die. RIP, little fellow!
Why did she stand that kid up on the railing though?!?!?!
Wtf would a parent let a child, especially a toddler stand on a rail while looking at wild animals? Reckless!
DeevaC says:
Wtf would a parent let a child, especially a toddler stand on a rail while looking at wild animals? Reckless!

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You know parents do things every once in awhile that, in the moment, seem innocent. It is not until there is a tragedy that they realize the harm that their own actions caused. RIP to that baby and I pray for his mom. She must be going nuts right now.
What’s going on with the zoos lots of accidents these days with people falling into the enclosures. Wondering if safety rules need to be revisited. I know the railing wasn’t meant to be stood on, but seems like tigers are jumping walls very easily, and then people falling in only after stepping up onto railings?
May she forgive herself and think smarter next time around.
I usually dont comment but this story just turns me the wrong way…. What parent in their “RIGHT” mind would just let their child hang over railing….to see wild animals!?!? I think that mother should be convicted for “neglect”…she Neglected to make the best decision for the safety of her child….
R.I.P. Poor lil fellow. My sympathies go out to the grieving parents!
But wow Sandra…where’s the ….
“Crackhead/(Alcoholic/Hoodrat/Chickenhead….etc.) Mother Places Toddler on Rail to Die” ……
heading that would certainly accompany this post if….well…you know?
This is so sad!!!! What a precious little boy? That mother is going to need a lot of prayers!
I saw this on GMA this morning. I really hope that baby died on impact and didnt suffer
Dumb azz mother
mzwhang90210 says:
R.I.P. Poor lil fellow. My sympathies go out to the grieving parents!
But wow Sandra…where’s the ….
“Crackhead/(Alcoholic/Hoodrat/Chickenhead….etc.) Mother Places Toddler on Rail to Die” ……
heading that would certainly accompany this post if….well…you know?
————————————————————————
Like I said on Twitter, I hope the animals don’t pay for human error.
Just got out of a meeting and I’m trying to catch up. I come back to herpes, Floyd and 50 gay sex and a little boy getting eaten by dogs!!! SERIOUSLY??!!!
That was a long, hard fall for a 2 year old.

This is so sad! I can say what I would not have done, but goodness knows this family does not need any judgement at this time.
This is awful. And there was nothing they could do.
So…what’s the difference between ‘African Painted Dogs’ and ‘Laughing Hyenas’?
They look the same to me….
I
that the fall immediately knocked him unconscious…and that he did NOT feel anything.
I can’t imagine the grief of the parents.
Hopefully this will lead the Zoo to make design changes to certain areas so that accidents like this will be less likely to occur.
Pray for the family and anyone who witnessed it! I would be traumatized seeing something like that, whether it be my child or not.
No lie if it was my child me and him would have been mauled to death, I could not sit and watch that Chyt, to save my own soul. I would have been climbing, squeezing, leaping over anything to get in there, cause If i didnt my mind would never be anygood NEVER
sorry for this baby. :crying1:
I HATE THE ZOO! HATE IT! Yall take a damn animal that is use to running wild or swimming free and put it in an enclosed space the size of a postage stamp or bathtub and expect it to be ok. FOH
I went to the zoo with my ex not too long ago and in the manatee exhibit they got heads of lettuce floating in the water. Da fvk?!
I feel bad for the mother and that poor baby.
LHM
Gosh this is so sad I don’t even want to start with my own inquiries and it’s so ironic becuz this morning I was thinking about when I bought my very first akita and had my 2 year old son with me and my cousin at the time and the male grown akita was approaching my son and I was yelled to my cousin GET THE BABY she grabbed him up just in time and then I asked the owner what is wrong with his Akita and was that dog going to hurt my son – he shrugged like he never saw that before – as I reflected on that day I was sitting there thinking like OMG I would’ve been the parent at fault because I had my child around that dog – but we were looking at the puppies – in hindsight the owner should’ve kept his dog enclosed – but that mistake I made could’ve ended in tragedy – I
for everyone
The parents sat and watched their baby get eaten alive
My boy coulda been down there with a saber tooth tiger and I would have been down their with him
KyCakes says:
So…what’s the difference between ‘African Painted Dogs’ and ‘Laughing Hyenas’?
They look the same to me….
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african dogs sound better, to fit the story (HINT)
Prynn, I left something else downstairs for you.
Choco :2dance:
@WHANG
In this case, I don’t see that the zoo needs to make any changes. Stupid people will always find a way to do stupid sht no matter what is put in place to protect them from themselves. It’s just sad that this child had to pay.
brownskin A.K.A Creamy says:
KyCakes says:
So…what’s the difference between ‘African Painted Dogs’ and ‘Laughing Hyenas’?
They look the same to me….
_______________________________________________________
african dogs sound better, to fit the story (HINT)

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That made me laugh
I’M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALY READING THE POST ABOVE, BUT IT STATES EXACTLY HOW THE LITTLE BOY FELL
RIP LIL MAN, NO SENSE IN STATING THE OBVIOUS, POOR DECISION TO HAVE HIM STAND UP THERE, HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20
MAY GOD BRING THEM PEACE AND COMFORT IN TIME, IT WAS A MISTAKE AND A BAD ACCIDENT~
I wonder what ever happened to that manatee rider
The shave ice at my work is so yummy, it feels like cruches of rainbows and cotton candy!!
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
THE STORY STATES THE CHILD WAS SCREAMING AS THE ANIMALS DISEMBOWELD HIM, NOT TO BE GRAPHIC, BUT IT’S APPARENT HE WAS NOT UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE ATTACK
:2dance: @ StrangerThings
:wave: KYCAKES, INTENSE, DIVA, 2KNOW, PRYN trying my hardest at roll call
anyone I neglected to included
forgive me please
YSoSrs says:
@WHANG
In this case, I don’t see that the zoo needs to make any changes. Stupid people will always find a way to do stupid sht no matter what is put in place to protect them from themselves. It’s just sad that this child had to pay.
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I agree.
This is HeartBreaking,the Mother put the baby on the ledge to get a better look and the poor Kid Lost his balance . . .
I wonder why she didnt Jump behind him to save him?
It was her fault for Putting him on the ledge!
DONT YOU AGREE SANDRA?
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
INTENSEMOCHA THE ANTAGONIST says:
THE STORY STATES THE CHILD WAS SCREAMING AS THE ANIMALS DISEMBOWELD HIM, NOT TO BE GRAPHIC, BUT IT’S APPARENT HE WAS NOT UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE ATTACK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXACTLY!!!
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
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Get yo life!!!!!!!
Choco
hey ma!!!!!!!! :wave:
KyCakes says:
So…what’s the difference between ‘African Painted Dogs’ and ‘Laughing Hyenas’?
They look the same to me….
____________________
Probably size… color seems a little different too but this picture has them looking much smaller than hyenas
Choco-licious

I know you’re strictly dickly
I read about this earlier. So sad. Those CNN commentors ripped the mother to shreds (no pun), no regards to the fact that she watched her baby get killed by dogs.
Diva says:
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
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but I’m glad you did
agane!
Get yo life!!!!!!!
————-
I was gonna say something
All BS Aside Its truly Tragic :crying1:
luVn
This is such a tragedy… OMG it was heart wrenching to read that lil Maddox was screaming while those wild animals attacked him.. (tears falling as I type this i couldn’t imagine)
Choco-licious
I know you’re strictly dickly
Did you also know I’m open minded 
____________________
Hyena’s are bigger and stronger dogs they are spotted not necessarily have a patches of black and imo far more vicious! This story is so saddening my heart hurts over it
THIS IS TRULY ONE OF THOSE TIMES YOU WISHED THAT MEMORY ERASER SHIAT LIKE IN MEN IN BLACK REALLY EXISTED, BECAUSE I TRULY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH THIS KNOWING I CAUSED IT AND WATCHING HELPLESS AS IT HAPPENED, PUT ME IN A MEDICAL COMA AND WAKE ME UP 10 YEARS LATER, BECAUSE I WOULD TRULY BE THE WALKING DEAD ANY HOW
I have so many questions myself but I can not logically or illogically place blame on this mother not while she had to watch her son get mauled and die and heard him screaming
THIS IS TRULY ONE OF THOSE TIMES YOU WISHED THAT MEMORY ERASER SHIAT LIKE IN MEN IN BLACK REALLY EXISTED, BECAUSE I TRULY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH THIS KNOWING I CAUSED IT AND WATCHING HELPLESS AS IT HAPPENED, PUT ME IN A MEDICAL COMA AND WAKE ME UP 10 YEARS LATER, BECAUSE I WOULD TRULY BE THE WALKING DEAD ANY HOW
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True enough this is why I can’t blame or don’t want to blame becuz chit like this would make me take my life – she won’t ever hear him stop screaming
Choco aka Hippie says:
I have so many questions myself but I can not logically or illogically place blame on this mother not while she had to watch her son get mauled and die and heard him screaming
===============
Yeah, I can’t be cruel with any opinions, just like with the mother who lost her sons
Sad! Lord please give them strength!
I should hope the parents don’t attempt to sue the zoo, I’m sure there were signs up and even if there weren’t signs up common sense should prevail in this type of situation.
<–Doesn't Talk To Strangers says:
Diva says:
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
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Get yo life!!!!!!!
————-
I was gonna say something but I’m glad you did agane
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I couldn't let this slide!!!!!! humph
Oprahs Bunion says:
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
INTENSEMOCHA THE ANTAGONIST says:
THE STORY STATES THE CHILD WAS SCREAMING AS THE ANIMALS DISEMBOWELD HIM, NOT TO BE GRAPHIC, BUT IT’S APPARENT HE WAS NOT UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE ATTACK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXACTLY!!!
_____________________
Apparently a few Rhodes Scholars saw something I didnt.
Excuseeeee me for being human and missing something…fortunately there are superior intellects around to point out the minor mistakes of we lesser mortals..

mzwhang90210 says:
Oprahs Bunion says:
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
INTENSEMOCHA THE ANTAGONIST says:
THE STORY STATES THE CHILD WAS SCREAMING AS THE ANIMALS DISEMBOWELD HIM, NOT TO BE GRAPHIC, BUT IT’S APPARENT HE WAS NOT UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE ATTACK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXACTLY!!!
_____________________
Apparently a few Rhodes Scholars saw something I didnt.
Excuseeeee me for being human and missing something…fortunately there are superior intellects around to point out the minor mistakes of we lesser mortals..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
get yo lives!
There is always one in the bunch!!!!!! Scholars
That one dog on the right kinda look like Deon Sanders.
KayCeiSoul says:
That one dog on the right kinda look like Deon Sanders.
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the heyul….you had me scrolling up to look! 
Fuggin KayCei
Not Neon Deion…..
And looking at the virtual reinactment – there is just no way. NONE.
I would not have had my baby up there without him being embraced in my arms. NO.
LOG AWF KAYCEI!
@ Deion Sanders
@KaeCeiSoul
for making me go back up to look at the dog that looks like PrimeTime 
Im praying for them, I cannot image hearing my child scream while being killed. So sad.
@ Ky and Diva – y’all know y’all see it. And that bastid is bold as brass for looking at the camera like that.
Doesn’t Talk To Strangers and Diva:
I don’t speak illiterate, so I’ll guess – based on your emoticon – that you think what I said was funny. Unfortunately, since we don’t speak the same language, we won’t ever agree that there is nothing funny about not being able to read and comprehend the text.
On to the new post….
Hey Dimpz
This mom is gonna be hunted by those screams & that visual for the rest of her life.
This is just sad, I would’ve jumped in right along with my baby. I don’t think I could’e just done nothing.
supa says:
Doesn’t Talk To Strangers and Diva:
I don’t speak illiterate, so I’ll guess – based on your emoticon – that you think what I said was funny. Unfortunately, since we don’t speak the same language, we won’t ever agree that there is nothing funny about not being able to read and comprehend the text.
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Whateva!!!!! would you like a piece of gum?
KayCeiSoul says:
@ Ky and Diva – y’all know y’all see it. And that bastid is bold as brass for looking at the camera like that.
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He sure was boldly looking into the camera!!!!!! Deon Sanders though
brownskin A.K.A Creamy says:
KyCakes says:
So…what’s the difference between ‘African Painted Dogs’ and ‘Laughing Hyenas’?
They look the same to me….
_______________________________________________________
african dogs sound better, to fit the story (HINT)
—————————————-
I was bored at work so I googled. They are two separate species.
Story still breaks my heart though
Diva theres a
get outta here
RIP to that poor lil baby… Why would any parent let their 2 yr old stand on a railing though.. You just don’t take that type of risk.. especially with hungry wolf looking dogs staring back at you…
_____________________
Apparently a few Rhodes Scholars saw something I didnt.
Excuseeeee me for being human and missing something…fortunately there are superior intellects around to point out the minor mistakes of we lesser mortals
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THERE WAS NO PUN INTENDED I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE NOT ONLY YOU ASKED THE QUESTION,I WAS WONDERING IF THE POST HAD BEEN UPDATED OR SOME JUST MISSED IT SO I TOOK IT UPON MY SELF TO HELP POINT IT OUT TO THOSE WHO MAY HAVE MISSED IT
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE SCHOLARLY OR HIGHLY INTELLECTUAL FOR THE BASICS, THAT’S KINDERGARTEN/FIRST GRADE-AND IF YOU DON’T APPLY IT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE IT DOESN’T HELP ANY HOW
LOL IT’S ALL IN FUN, THERE IS ALWAYS SMART ARSE IN THE BUNCH
PLEASE DON’T GET MAD CAUSE I ACTUALLY READ THE ARTICLE AND HELPED YOU OUT BY ANSWERING THE QUESTION-I WAS SIMPLY BEING HEPFUL
Diva says:
mzwhang90210 says:
Oprahs Bunion says:
supa says:
Just saying….quite a few of ya’ll don’t read or aren’t too strong in the reading comprehension department
INTENSEMOCHA THE ANTAGONIST says:
THE STORY STATES THE CHILD WAS SCREAMING AS THE ANIMALS DISEMBOWELD HIM, NOT TO BE GRAPHIC, BUT IT’S APPARENT HE WAS NOT UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE ATTACK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXACTLY!!!
_____________________
Apparently a few Rhodes Scholars saw something I didnt.
Excuseeeee me for being human and missing something…fortunately there are superior intellects around to point out the minor mistakes of we lesser mortals..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is always one in the bunch!!!!!! Scholars get yo lives!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wasn’t trying to be a smart arse. I was just agreeing that some poeple overlooked some things in the article. I’m new so I don’t want to ruffle too many feathers. Carry on!
@ INTENSEMOCHA THE ANTAGONIST, you’re my sister in scholarship! I’m happy it wasn’t just me. Hot damn, there are way too many underdeveloped minds wandering these parts. Sandra needs a quality control system in place asap lol and smh…
@Oprahs Bunion…your my scholarship kin as well!!
@ Supa
Hi Supa!!! I would give you the same emo wave, but I’m still working on that!
This story is so

My heart goes out to that mother to have to hear her child screaming and watch helplessly. I pray God heals her mind because it will haunt her forever. Her mother instinct didn’t kick in to jump behind him. I wonder why she let go of him on the ledge. Most times parents stand behind the toddler holding him on the railing. Those dogs probably thought it was feeding time. It is a horrific thing to witness. My prayers are with that family.
I HOPE and PRAY that if anything that horrible ever happened to either one of my kids (2 and 5) I would jump over that damn railing too and both of us would have to get eaten by those damn dogs. F*** that. That baby is too damn little to have to battle that alone. No sir…It is what it is.