Naples Daily News

May 23, 12:58 PM EDT

Parents sue Pittsburgh zoo in boy's mauling death


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Parents sue Pittsburgh zoo in boy's mauling death

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PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The parents of a 2-year-old boy who fell into a wild African dogs exhibit and was mauled to death last fall have sued the Pittsburgh zoo.

The lawsuit filed Thursday claims that officials had ample warning that parents routinely lifted children onto a rail overlooking the exhibit for a better view.

Jason and Elizabeth Derkosh seek unspecified damages in the Nov. 4 death of their son, Maddox. He fell from the wooden railing after his mother lifted him up to get a better look at the painted dogs.

According to the lawsuit, other zoos have more and better safeguards in place to keep children safe while viewing the dogs.

A zoo spokeswoman did not immediately comment.

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