PYTHON DEATH

Neighbors wonder why a toddler was strangled to death by her father's pet python...

Was 2-year old Shiaunna Hare's asphyxiation death by this Burmese python criminal neglect?

Neighbors like Judy Crowder want answers.

"You got to have some common sense and if you have small children in the house, you need to make sure you have triple and quadruple locks on those things."

Florida's Department of Children and Families (DCF) is now investigating.

Carrie Hoeppner of the DCF says "…for us, a big question would be, was that death preventable?"

Two months ago, D-C-F confirms they were called to this house on an allegation the snake's owner, 32-year old Charles Jason Darnell was smoking pot in front of the children.

The investigator at that time photographed that same snake.

Hoeppner said there were no indications at that time that the snake was dangerous.

"Yeah, of course that snake had been seen. I spoke to the investigator myself and asked him if there was anything alarming that you saw, anything that stood out in your mind and he said no."

Shiaunna’s step-sister Kristen Darnell said that the snake was kept in a separate part of the house.

"They always kept it away from us if they wasn't in the room."

Darnell's daughter says that Shiaunna had grown up with the snake.

"Shiaunna would sit right next to it, petting it and everything."

This afternoon, there was no answer at the house where the family is reportedly staying.

Detectives say they'll present the results of their criminal investigation to the state's attorney office.

"If there's other people who have animals like this, it should be a lesson for everybody."