The exhibit displaying the wild dogs, which are an endangered species and native to sub-Saharan Africa, was shuttered shortly after. The observation deck was removed about a month after the mauling. It also denied claims it lacked an emergency plan at the time of the incident.
The zoo also said the railing surrounding the enclosure complied with building and safety codes. In the months following the lawsuit filing, the zoo denied claims that officials had fair warning that parents regularly lifted their children onto the unprotected area overlooking the wild dogs exhibit and did nothing to protect them. The boy's organs were destroyed and he suffered more than 46 wounds to his head and neck, the lawsuit said. Elizabeth Derkosh tried to climb into the exhibit to save her only child but was restrained by another visitor. PITTSBURGH (AP/KDKA) - A newly released report shows that Pittsburgh Zoo staff raised concerns about a child falling through an opening into an African painted dog exhibit on at least six separate. Maddox, who had been lifted up to the window by his mother, lurched forward and fell over the exhibit railing. Kevin Kraus of the Pittsburgh police said the. The parents claimed that the exhibit had an observation deck with an open and ill-protected window overlooking the roaming animals. PITTSBURGH (AP) A mothers attempt to give her two-year-old son a better view of wild African dogs turned into a tragedy at the Pittsburgh Zoo after the boy fell into the exhibit and was killed by a pack of the animals as relatives and bystanders looked on. Maddox's parents, Jason and Elizabeth Derkosh, filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit in 2013, seeking a minimum of $300,000. "The Derkosh family and the zoo request that the privacy of all parties involved be respected," the statement said. Details of the agreement will remain confidential, according to a statement from the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Maddox Derkosh was fatally attacked at an African wild dog exhibit in November 2012, when he fell into the enclosure from an area where his mother had lifted him to get a better view. Department of Agriculture inspected the exhibit 35 times since it opened in 2006, but did not raise concerns about the enclosure.By Laila Kearney (Reuters) - The family of a 2-year-old boy who was mauled to death by African wild dogs at the Pittsburgh Zoo have reached a legal settlement with the institution, officials said on Monday. Lawyers for the couple filed documents with the court this week, citing minutes from safety committee meetings that they say showed concern as far back as 2006.Īccording to the filings, minutes from an August 2006 meeting of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium safety committee mentioned that the "wild dog exhibit has one side of the exhibit that is open" minutes from a February 2007 meeting noted that "a pane of Plexiglas may have to be installed" to cover the open area where visitors look down on the exhibit about 12 feet below and minutes from a May 2007 meeting said that "guests are dangling children over the rail at the wild dog exhibit." Jason and Elizabeth Derkosh acknowledged in their complaint that Elizabeth Derkosh lifted her son so he could get a better look at the exhibit, but they claim the zoo didn't modify the exhibit after the safety committee raised concerns. ET: A 2-year-old boy fell into an African painted dog exhibit at a Pittsburgh zoo on Sunday and was mauled by the wild animals, zoo officials said. 4 from an open viewing area into the exhibit, and his parents later sued the zoo, which then countersued, claiming the boy's mother is to blame for her son's death and shouldn't be allowed to sue.
Pittsburgh zoo wild dogs trial#
WATCH: Kennedy Cousin Granted New Trial in 1975 Killing A Pittsburgh Zoo safety committee had concerns about a wild African dogs exhibit but the zoo didn't make any changes before a 2-year-old boy fell into the pen last year and was mauled to death by the animals, lawyers for the boy's parents say in court filings that cite committee meeting minutes.
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