US Mother, Baby Girl Killed by Elephant in Kenya
American mother, baby girl killed by charging elephant while walking on nature trail in Kenya

A lone elephant charged out of the brush as an American family was hiking near Mount Kenya and trampled to death a mother and the 1-year-old daughter she held in her arms, officials said Wednesday.

Four adults and the baby were walking with an unarmed guide just outside Mount Kenya National Park on Monday morning when the elephant charged, said Kenya Wildlife Service official Michael Kipkeu.

The family was hiking on a nature trail about 1 mile (2 kilometers) from the Castle Forest Lodge, where the family was vacationing, said the owner, Melia van Laar.

"The elephant emerged from the bush at full speed without any warning," van Laar said. "Everybody ran away, but the lady, burdened by the weight of the baby, perhaps, or in panic, was not able to run fast enough."

Officials identified the woman as Sharon Brown, 39, and said her daughter's name was Margaux. Brown, originally from New York, and her husband are listed as faculty members at the International School of Kenya. Friends and colleagues at the American-curriculum K-12 school held a memorial service Wednesday.

Walking tours of Kenya's many national parks are common, though hikers are advised to have an armed guard with them if the park is known to have elephants, said Kentice Tikolo, a spokeswoman for the Kenya Wildlife Service.


"It was a lone elephant and lone elephants can be quite dangerous," Tikolo said. "It probably felt quite threatened."

Tikolo said deaths by charging elephants are rare in Kenya, though they happen about once a year.

Because the Castle Forest Lodge lies just outside the boundary of Mount Kenya National Park, the family was walking with a hotel guide, who is not allowed to carry a gun, said Tikolo. The national park is about 180 miles (300 kilometers) north of the capital, Nairobi.

Brown was a 1989 graduate of Miller Place High School on eastern Long Island, New York, and was a graduate of Binghamton State University with a degree in psychology, said her father, John Laurie. She later received a masters in library.

I just could not bring myself to use the term "Darwin Award" in original post. Just sad.

Poor lady. Most American women of childbearing age are the product of a steady diet of Oprah, Disney, Strep and PETA. They know no better. Heck, public education teaches that animals have rights, raise nuclear families and pay social security, I guess.

The dead woman is just a symptom. I don't blame her. I blame the PC advocates' religion of anthropomorphism.

Kenya has sold its soul to anti-hunters, PETA idiots and fellow traveler clones. The country has bought into the liberal myth that the creation is greater than the creator.

The result is a dead lady and her child. There have been many before and there will be many later... that is, if the PETA-type hunting bans don't result in the extinction of every animal around except roaches.

Darwin award is going too far, very tragic and sad event, I agree with JudgeG. Just because they are uneducated about things doesn't make them stupid.

Jerry:

The buffalo arrived as did the warthog! Wonderful, both! I'll tell you about the delivery on Friday in Dallas.

I can't disagree that the woman's bulb might not have been too bright, and that Darwin might have marked her for a negative selection... but, damn... what an avoidable consequense of putting "feelings" over reality.

Let's just hope the next award winner (if that's appropriate) doesn't have a babe in arms when she exhibits her lack of education as to the facts of life.

FWIW, I disagree with the Darwin Award. She was hiking with a group with a guide, who could not legally carry a gun, on what sounds like a well used nature trail near what is probably an expensive lodge they were staying in. What else could she have done besides stay in the room? I file this one under "shit happens", not really anyone's fault as I read it. It's the same as if she was driving down the freeway and was hit head on by a semi- whose driver had gone to sleep. She didn't really do anything wrong, but she and her child are still dead. Shit happens.

Perhaps the Darwin Award should go to the entire situation-

My sympathies are with the child- I year old, just a little one. And the surviving, grieving family.

This is an example of the difference between ignorant and stupid.
Ignorant: doesn't know any better
Stupid: can't/won't learn any better.

It is a very sad situation, tragic perhaps.

It's also why I carry a firearm anytime I leave my house. Definitely would if I were in Africa.

Rich

IMO, Not Darwin Award but sheer bad luck.

Not really a tourist since she lived there, and as such, really should have known better.
I can handle just about any death, it's just part of the whole big picture, except that of a child that had no say in what happened. Risk your life if you need to, but leave the kids at home. I have a grandson that is the same age, and I cannot imagine losing him under any circumstances, let alone, stupidity. And it is stupidity, wild animals are just that, wild, and are to be treated with respect, some people are too stupid to show that respect.

God rest their souls!

My little rule is quite simple: I'm not going into the bush unarmed anywhere anytime. 2 leggers, 4 leggers there's always a strong possibility this type of situation will happen.

JW

Hardly a Darwin award situation. They were in an area managed by the Tour operator and the tourists' safety is the operator's responsibility.They should have known better.It's not as if the victims went into the bush unaccompanied.They were part of an organised group.Pity,the guide wasn't equipped with a rifle. Overly harsh and an insensitive description of the situation.

Best-
Locksley,R

Wonder how long they had been living in Kenya? There are many folks who are killed in this manner in Kenya, including many who definitely know better. A prime example is the artist Simon Combes who was killed in similar circumstances by a Buff in December 2004. Check his biography; he knew better.

The baby had no part in the decision making that took her life. Very sad and preventable.

I'm with the group that calls this a horrible accident, and too bad. I would not call this a Darwin award- going on a hike is not a event that has a better than even chance of encountering a dangerous situation.

I also disagree with this being the company's fault. The mother should have known there was a risk of a dangerous animal, even if miniscule, and assumed to accept that risk. In my opinion, almost anyone with a good grasp of reality would think walking around elephants the could step on you.

Someone is not always at fault. Compensation is not due for every bad outcome. It sure isn't going to bring the baby back to life, either.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
Wonder how long they had been living in Kenya? There are many folks who are killed in this manner in Kenya, including many who definitely know better. A prime example is the artist Simon Combes who was killed in similar circumstances by a Buff in December 2004. Check his biography; he knew better.

The baby had no part in the decision making that took her life. Very sad and preventable.

IMO a case depicting totally irresponsible parents who took that little bundle of joy into an area known for the presence of DG - they also knew the guide was unarmed yet still ventured forth to "interact with the wildlife" - how stupid can one get? My heart only goes out to that poor little soul, may she RIP.

I'm leaning toward darwin award here, except this is a case of one that will not think rather than can not think.

She is a teacher, she lives there, and there are warning signs. I think she should be well aware of the danger. If she wants to run that risk great, but taking the baby with her was wrong.

The Darwin goes to the organisers of the walk for not having an armed escort in that area.

From experience I can tell you that a KWS armed guard consists of a skinny guy in a uniform three sizes too big and carrying a 1950 No4 303. Not likely to have made much of a difference to the end result. Very sad.

Deerdogs:

I used to hunt black bear in Ontario where the locals swore by the 303. However, being Canadian realists, I strongly doubt that they would have wanted to place their faith in the 303 against mzou! (I read a similar post to yours about an experienced hunter riding in a vehicle with a "guide" in Kruger National Park and, who, when asked, admitted he had never handled the rifle displayed in the truck cab -and which had a look of never having been handled for ages. Sad story all around. Fools -and simply innocent people really should be protected against their folly and I think we all agree on that. How do we get tourist parks to have some real protection against truly dangerous animals ? All of us hunters love animals -but we also recognize that they are not always "cute".