Police Confirm Zoo Mauling Victim Was Whitehall Resident
Two-year-old Maddox's parents live on Highgrove Road.
The mauling death of a 2-year-old boy at the Pittsburgh Zoo on Sunday has shocked and saddened many area families. That is especially true in Whitehall Borough, as it turns out.
Whitehall police Chief Donald R. Dolfi confirmed on Monday that the victim's family lives in Whitehall. Maddox, the victim, is the son of Jason and Elizabeth Derkosh, of Highgrove Road, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is reporting.
The Derkosh family has lived on Highgrove since December 2011, according to the Allegheny County Assessment Web page.
Maddox was visiting the zoo with 34-year-old Elizabeth when he fell from the top of a platform railing to the ground inside of the pit area of an African painted dogs exhibit, according to a statement from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.
Pittsburgh police said that the child lost his balance after his mother lifted him in a standing position onto the 4-foot-high wooden railing that overlooks the enclosure.
"The child was caught by the safety netting below the railing," zoo CEO Barbara Baker said on Monday. "But from what we understand from witnesses, the child was so small he bounced twice, then fell into the pit. The netting caught him; it just didn't hold him."
Baker said that, according to the county medical examiner, the child did not die from the fall.
"The child was mauled by dogs," Baker said. "It happened so quickly. It happened, literally, in seconds. There was very little anyone could do."
Baker said that staff members arrived outside of the exhibit within seconds, but with 11 dogs inside, it was too dangerous for them to enter.
Baker said that zoo personnel were able to secure 10 of the dogs. The final dog, which exhibited aggressive and violent behavior, was shot and killed by police.
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In This article
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Borough of Whitehall Municipal Complex (Administrative Offices and Outdoor Recreation)
100 Borough Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
Whitehall Police Department
100 Borough Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA
Margaret French
3:21 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
so sad :(
Robert Edward Healy, III
3:27 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
:(
Julia Farkas
3:42 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
So the woman was not holding him at all? He left him completely on his own? It's bad enough that she lifted him, but to not even keep a hand on him is unbelievable. I do not feel sorry for her at all.
Carol Knox
8:36 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
shame on you for leaving such a heartless comment. This was a tragic accident and you have no right to judge this poor mom. You were not there, so you have no idea what really happened.
Cristy Stipetic
4:23 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Wow Julia, you are entitled to your opinion, but I can not believe that you and so many others can be so cold hearted. How about having a little bit of decency and respect. So many people are quick to judge her and blame her. Whether her fault or not a child lost his life and parents lost a child. That family will relive that moment every second of every day. My heart goes out to the family of little Maddox.
Theo
4:35 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Cold hearted is having your two year old boy up on top of a rail to look at wild dogs, and then leaving him to fend for himself. I suppose you think that was his decision.
Julia Farkas
7:09 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
We are not cold hearted, we just don't feel sympathy for people who make fatal mistakes. If I would be cold hearted, I would not care for the boy that died and would not be on here chatting with you.
Theo
4:36 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
This woman needs to have a full psychiatric evaluation for letting a two year old child balance on a rail right over a pen of wild dogs without even having a hand on him. Very suspicious and tragic for the boy. If she has any remaining children, child protective services need to be called in and take them away before she kills them, too.
Julia Farkas
7:08 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
I am sure that will happen anyways, because she needs to go to prison for homicide by negligence.
Carol Knox
8:38 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Oh my gosh, I can't believe you just said that...how cruel and heartless...this was a tragic accident...may God have mercy on you.
Lucy
9:29 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Carol, a tragic accident would be something happening beyond your control. I think people feel horrible for this boy to die like this but at the same time many of us are trying to wrap our brains around the fact that his own mother put him in that situation. The person who is supposed to protect him. A grown, adult mother who loves her tiny little 2 year old stands him on a ledge 14 feet wide open to a pit of dangerous dogs below. That is not an accident. Who DOES that? I would hold him in my arms but never stand him like that. Why? Because it's dangerous and he could fall. I feel bad for her but I am shocked at the complete and utter lack of common sense in this case. It astounds me actually.
Cristy Stipetic
4:58 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Where did it say she left him to balance on his own? Or fend for himself? Or didn't have a hand on him? I haven't read that in any article over the past 2 days-were you there? Do you know for sure that's what happened? Everyone is so quick to judge the mother and her actions. Get real, it was a horrific accident. We all have had a lapse in judgement at some point. I guess you are 100% perfect and have never done anything without thinking it through first. All the negative comments need to stop-let this family grieve they are suffering enough.
Julia Farkas
7:07 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Yes, we can all have a lapse in judgement, but not all of us contribute to someone's death.
Theo
7:47 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
ABC news had a computer generated model of the events, and she did not have her hands on him. He was sitting there on the railing by himself. He couldn't have weighed over 25 pounds so it would have been easy for her to keep him from falling if she had him in her grip.
Lucy
9:37 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Who isn't letting them grieve? It's actually never been stated, and I don't know why because she either had a hold on him or she didn't. All I have read is that she stood him up and he somehow fell. News articles won't say how he fell. The issue though here is that he never, ever, ever ever should have been made to stand on the railing in the first place. An accident would be if the floor gave way and he fell, this mother intentionally stood her child on a railing in an open window that leads 14 feet down into a dog pit. How can you say that it was an accident? How does a 34 year old woman not know that you shouldn't put a baby up there? That's crazy. The fact that she had no qualms about doing that scares me. This was not a lapse in judgement. I am not perfect either but I do know I would never put a 2 year old on a railing like that. It's like letting him walk down a busy street, the danger in the situation is right in front of you, how do you not sense it?
Chris
5:23 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
This poor family will live with this for the rest of their life. Let them grieve in peace. Shame on the patch for putting address in article. No doubt there are insensitive people driving by their house tonight. So easy for other people to be so perfect in parenting. Quit making stuff up you know nothing about.
TT
6:22 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
You people who "don't feel sorry for her at all" are complete assholes with your judgements and assumptions as to what happened. You weren't there and it didn't say she let him go, it says he lost his balance and fell. Haven't you people ever had an "accident" of some sort that you literally couldn't control? That's horrible you can make such comments about this poor heart broken family. Get a soul!
Julia Farkas
7:06 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
How did the boy fell if the mother would have been holding him? If you hold someone - they can't fall, even if they loose balance.
Lucy
9:43 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Wow TT, you are missing the point. It doesn't matter if she held him or not, it's the fact that he was up on the ledge. You arent' allowed to do that nor should anyone risk a child's life doing that. This wasn't an accident that she couldn't control as you have said. Isn't she the one that put him up there?? I'm pretty sure that has been verified. I feel sorry for this mother, she lost her son, but it was totally preventable. It's not like some unseen force took him from her. She put him there and I don't know how she could do that and not worry about him.
Robert Edward Healy, III
7:12 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
I very seldom will express my own opinions on this news site, but I feel compelled to say that those who do not feel sorry for the family, especially the mother, are terribly misguided.
NE12Ukid
11:23 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Yes, Bob, two sad stories. One, a baby dies in a horrible accident at the zoo, and the other a woman is shot to death; and in comments to both stories, people say awful things that are "misguided" in the very least.
Margaret French
8:49 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Well said Bob! God Bless little Maddox. RIP. My prayers are with him and his family.
JoAnn
7:32 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
I ache for little Maddox and my heart goes out to his Mom, Dad and family. :-'( Those of you pointing your finger and judging his Mom, remember 3 fingers are pointing back at you. Don't judge lest you be judged.
Lucy
9:48 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
I do feel for the parents, no one should have to go through that ever. At the same time though, are we not allowed to have an opinion about what happened? I am not pointing fingers I just can't understand what she was thinking. I think that most people are just as confused by her actions as I am. As a mother this story hurt me because I could never think of doing that. I'd be sick to my stomach if I had to set my child up there.
CW
8:10 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
TT - I agree with you completely. That poor Mom lost her beautiful baby & I'm sure is inconsolable. My heart aches for her. And Julia, by your remarks, I'm sure your mother ACCIDENTELY dropped you on your head a few times.., You need to go play in traffic...How's that for cold hearted...
Bill Antantis
8:14 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
So sick of people coming at people that blame her.....they are not being cold hearted or cruel...it was her fault I am sure when and if she recovers she would tell you that herself...A child died why do you think people are soo angry....wasnt the zoo's fault or the dogs....So blame is always placed and in this case rightfully so
D. Gerst
8:50 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
just as we should all blame the mothers that gave birth to you and the other detached people bashing that poor family. This isn't a matter of who's to blame, it's about understanding the fact that this boys mother made a terrible choice just as all parents do at some point (unless they are a perfect father of 2 and coach like yourself), some more serious than others and in this case a horrific outcome to that mothers mistake. If any of you had an ounce of decency you would go out to buy a toy truck, take it to that mother and beg for her forgiveness.
cc
8:32 am on Saturday, November 10, 2012
Why should any of us have to beg for her forgiveness. She made a terrible mistake when she sat her child there and wasn't holding on to him. I feel bad for her as she will have to live with this nightmare the rest of her life but I don't need her forgiveness.
Pam
8:16 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
I cannot believe the heartless people in this world making judgements about a family they know nothing about and a tragedy that they think they know everything about. The thoughts running through my head right now about them...but I'm not a complete and utterly cold hearted person so I will restrain myself from publicly posting every thought about them.
Lucy
9:52 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
So his mom didn't stand him on a ledge overlooking a dog pit? How did he get up there then? You also are saying people are heartless and judging but at the same time you want to say mean things about the posters. What is the difference. Until the news outlets tell us how he fell, I will withhold judging. But, would you set a small child on a ledge like that? I doubt it.
Bill Antantis
8:16 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
It isnt I dont feel sorry for her either...and not like she isnt gonna pay for the rest of her life but totally preventable
cc
8:33 am on Saturday, November 10, 2012
Yes it was preventable, I would of held the child in my arms to see the animals as I have done in the past. I would of never sat mine on a ledge.
MJF
8:24 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Yes, it was a horrible horrific error in judgment by the mother, to say the least. Perhaps even criminal? I don't know....but even still, she didn't want this to happen to the child. Anyone saying they don't feel sorry for her is a sick, callous individual with no hear.n I would ventre to say they aren't a parent either, I can't imagine a mother or father feeling nothing for the parent regardless how poor a choice was. WOW!
Michael Dobs
8:26 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Patch: Remove the comment part of this article. There is nothing to discuss. Horrible accident. Some times accidents have someone to blame sometimes they don't, that's why they are accidents. Everybody is intitled to the own opinion. In this case discuss it behind your own closed doors. Right or wrong let the family grieve in peace.
Robert Edward Healy, III
8:34 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
People will continue to discuss this story in one medium or another. They are welcome to discuss it here. Comments will continue to be moderated.
Sarah
10:20 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
This mother will punish HERSELF for the rest of her life. She doesn't need strangers judging her now. So quickly things can happen with a toddler-- every mother knows that. We've all made poor decisions at one time or another- so sad that hers had to result in tragedy. For those being so unsympathetic toward this mother, remember-- Karma is a B**ch. It may be you some day that strangers are on here being so cold and unsympathetic to!!
daniel Hamilton
11:20 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Sad and sorry, it was an accident. i HOPE the message comes through to these precious parents that many of us are praying for you and love you. Do not let guilt comes to all of us who grieve not destroy you. Do not listen to those voices, but feel, hear nad know our comfort and most of all the comfort of the great Comforter --God who comforts us in all our sorrows. To those of you who hate and judge that to him who shows no mercy,. there will be shown no mercy. (epistle of James). aGAIN, FAMILY: LOVE AND PRAYERS!!!
cc
12:14 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
My prayers are with the family and the mother is going to have night mares of this for the rest of her life. People need to learn from this mistake the mom made. One day she will meet her maker and will answer to him
Ken James
11:39 am on Sunday, November 11, 2012
"this boys mother made a terrible choice just as all parents do at some point " What? Stop and think. Placing the child on the railing is one thing - NOT holding onto the child is another. However bad you feel for the mother, remember that child is DEAD. She easily could have grabbed the child IF SHE WAS PAYING ATTENTION. How could the child fall off the railing with the mother right there? It seems she not only wasn't holding the child, but she must not have even been watching!!!!!! Something just doesn't seem right here. She could even grab the child as it fell? How many feet must the child have fallen before it was not possible for the mother to reach down and grab her baby???? Something is not right here.
Brian G
7:19 pm on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Sick horrible people to chastise this woman. Her life is changed forever and my heart breaks for her and family. I look at my 2 year old son and trying to comprehend how she must feel is heartwrenching, watching her sweet little boy basically eaten alive and powerless to help. RIP little Maddox. What a tragic and horrifying way to go.
cellaj
12:15 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Let me just say this I talked to the parents.they r grieving and everyone sayin they don't feel sorry for her.u will be judged by God.how many times have done something stupid as parents but for the grace of God our kids r still here.they have to take medicine....pray for them not judge them.u will be judged.