Boy, 4, Shoots Himself — Then Police Find 30 Snakes and Crocodile in Tank of Bathroom of His Home

An Alabama couple is under arrest after their young child accidentally shot himself — prompting an investigation that allegedly revealed a home overrun with mice, snakes, and unsecured firearms.

Cassandra Lynn Lutz, 39, and 27-year-old Alexander Andrew Corrie, were arrested after their 4-year-old son shot himself in their Oneonta, Ala., home on April 4, Blount County Sheriff’s Office said at a press conference last week.  `

Officers were notified after the child was taken to the emergency room following the shooting. 

During the investigation, investigators executed a search warrant at the child’s residence and found “several interesting pieces of evidence,” the sheriff’s office said at the conference. 

They found several snakes — dead and alive — which investigators believe belonged to the constrictor family.

Many of the snakes were dead and covered in maggots and had been left in the same containers as some of the living snakes, per the sheriff’s office. Several boxes of mice were also found in the same room. 

The snakes were kept in plastic containers without lids and placed on shelves. There were other animals at the scene as well, the sheriff said.

There were about 30 snakes, of which six were dead, AL.com and WSFA reported.

Authorities also found a reptile, which the outlets reported was a crocodile.

The reptile was inside an aquarium that covered the entire bathroom counter, the sheriff’s office said. 

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The child, who was injured in his arm and leg, is expected to make a full recovery, per the sheriff’s office.

Lutz and Corrie were charged with reckless assault, chemical endangerment to a child, 10 counts of cruelty to animals and six counts of failure to bury/burn livestock, according to WSFA, which cited information from the Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey.

For more information on safe firearm storage and the most effective ways to protect children from unsecured firearms, visit BeSMARTforkids.org.