DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Crikey! STEVE Irwin sparked outrage yesterday when he held his baby son a metre from the mouth of a crocodile at his Queensland zoo. Child advocates branded the Crocodile Hunter reckless for holding one-month-old Bob while feeding the giant crocodile a dead chicken. Wife Terri looked on as Irwin then "walked" Bob to the crocodile pool at his Sunshine Coast wildlife park as the four-metre reptile, named Murray, lurked nearby. Irwin defended the stunt, saying the baby was never in danger. "This kid has to grow up to be croc savvy," he told the Herald Sun. "I guess what I am doing is teaching him to be completely familiar with crocodiles . . . There's no way known I would ever endanger my child." But Irwin - recently named Queenslander of the year - now faces possible investigation by Queensland police, the Department of Families, and workplace safety officers. The stunt was slammed by child support groups and likened to the furore caused by pop star Michael Jackson when he dangled his newborn baby over a balcony at a hotel in Germany in 2002. Childhood Foundation chief Joe Tucci described Irwin's actions as outrageous. "It's neglect, it's reckless, it's a form of endangerment," he said. "I don't think we should use children as props, and definitely not in situations that are going to put them in such danger." Mr Tucci said Irwin could faces criminal charges if he continued to put his baby in harm's way. "He wasn't thinking about the risks to his child. Children need adults to protect them. They should not be involved in any kind of entertainment that puts them at risk," he said. "Kids under five are unpredictable. It's only one small slip away from a bad accident. He can make his own choices, but his child can't." Australian Family Association spokesman Bill Muehlenberg said Irwin's conduct was tantamount to child abuse. Mr Muehlenberg said Irwin had no right to put his baby in peril. "Most parents would cringe at the sight of such things. One slip, one fall and he is the crocodile's lunch," he said. Yesterday's show, for the public and the media, was billed as Bob's "croc-feeding debut". "Good boy, Bob," Irwin said as Murray's jaws snapped shut on the food. "He's one month old, so it's about time Bob got out there and did his first croc demo," Irwin told the excited crowd. Irwin later told the Herald Sun: "If I had known it was going to cause a ruckus I would have thrown them (the media) out by their ears. "I was in complete control of the crocodile. Robert was tucked right in my arm. It is far more dangerous to pack your kid up and go out on the road." Irwin's wife Terri backed Bob's place in the show. "When I put him back in the pram he had big eyes and he was smiling and it was a wonderful sensory experience for him. He dug it," she said. Queensland Families Minister Judy Spence said she would request the unedited video tapes of the incident. "I have seen the television footage and while I have no doubt the Irwins love their children very much, I believe it was an error of judgment to place a baby in a potentially dangerous situation," Ms Spence said. "The department is interested in examining all of the information including a copy of the unedited video and the safety precautions and protocols Mr Irwin was following." Queensland Police confirmed last night they had received complaints from the public about the incident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 And here's da pic of it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 I'll state the obvious and remind everyone of the Michael Jacko incident w/ his baby..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 And here's da pic of it, Every one knows baby tastes like chicken /taking the express elevator to hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 "crikey....this crock looks aaaaaaaaangry. I wunda what happens when I taunt him with this small human infant dipped in chicken entrails...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 Funny thing is his wife didn't really giv a s*** either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Funny thing is his wife didn't really giv a s*** either. she's on the other side of the crock.... they were planning to play monkey in the middle until the f***in' poparazzi showed up. :fyou thanks for ruining the fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 And here's da pic of it, "crikey....this crock looks aaaaaaaaangry. I wunda what happens when I taunt him with this small human infant dipped in chicken entrails...." (just cos I was really proud of that quote...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 (just cos I was really proud of that quote...) A Quote of the Day contender mayb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox4lifeinPA Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 A Quote of the Day contender mayb? nah, I just think inside my head I'm a lot funnier than I really am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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