Toy trucks honor boy killed by zoo's wild dogs

PITTSBURGH Toy construction trucks have been pouring into the funeral home handling arrangements for a 2-year-old boy who was fatally mauled when he fell into a wild dog exhibit at the Pittsburgh zoo.

The parents of Maddox Derkosh requested the toys instead of flowers because their son liked to play with trucks and share them with friends. More than 3,000 have been donated, and the William Slater II funeral home says it will continue accepting the trucks even after the boy's funeral Friday.

The family intends to donate the trucks to a charity that will distribute them to needy children on Christmas.

"We will never forget this as long as we live," funeral director William Slater said Thursday as he stood among dozens of toy trucks in a viewing room.

• African dogs maul boy at Pittsburgh zoo
• Medical examiner: African dogs killed boy who fell into Pittsburgh zoo exhibit

Even the family's priest, the Rev. David Bonnar, was moved to comment on the toys during his funeral sermon, telling Jason and Elizabeth Derkosh that soliciting toy donations for other children is both generous and a wise first step in the grieving process.

"One of the first steps in healing is to think less of oneself and more of others," Bonnar said. "God knows you have a rough road ahead but with this effort the healing has already begun."

Fr. David Bonnar described Maddox as a happy child who like to giggle and called him a child of light, CBS Pittsburgh affiliate KDKA reports.

The funeral service was held at St. Bernard Church in Mount Lebanon, the same church where Maddox's parents were married and where the boy was baptized, according to CBS News' Bob Allen.

Investigations continue into the boy's death, which happened after he fell from a wooden railing overlooking the exhibit Sunday at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.

The boy's mother placed him on the rail and he somehow slipped away, bounced off a small net and fell about 10 feet more into the enclosed exhibit.

The county medical examiner determined that the boy survived the fall but bled to death from the attack, which zoo officials said staff members couldn't stop because it happened so quickly.

In addition to an internal zoo review, the death is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, an accrediting organization. Neither is expected to announce findings soon.

It appears to be an accident that won't result in criminal charges, said Mike Manko, a spokesman for the Allegheny County district attorney's office, which is waiting for other information before closing the case. The district attorney also expects the observation platform above the exhibit to be improved, Manko said.

Toy trucks can be donated directly to the funeral home.

[IPonUall2]

Why do they have to brainwash children?
Knowing now what i didn't know then, gift giving should not be used as a tool for religious indoctrination of children.
It's all contradictory and definitely misleading.

On a personal level:
My condolences to the family of the lost child.

[Jeepster44]

I've seen people put their children on top of rails all the time. Not a smart thing to do. Also holding their children in their arms over a ledge, not SMART.

[IPonUall2]

Or dangle the kid in front of the media from a balcony.....

[aubfmet]

Everyone involved has paid the greatest price, just don't sue the zoo.

[aubfmet]

Everyone involved has paid the greatest price, just don't sue the zoo.

[andie52]

No mother would put their child up on this rail and then just leave their child sitting there...............and the railing tilts toward the outside not inside.............and then I couldn't help but notice that the mother has a good PR firm working quick-----------I think this child's death should be investigated as a homicide.

[Melissa_Hughes]

Totally agree! Some stupid people take stupid risks. But absolutely no one would take this kind of risk without having an extra tight grip on their children. This is no accident! This was planned and calculated.

[irishreb57]

You people are heartless and should be ashamed of yourselves. Dont you think this woman is suffering enough ? She will probably never forgive herself. This was not a criminal act. Have you never done anything you regret? Talk about casting the first stone....

[Razor14150]

Yea its really sad that anyone should lose a kid but in my opinion the mother did it to herself by putting the kid up on the railing. A railing is there to stop kids from falling over the edge and into the enclosure but the mother ignored that and put her kid up there accepting the risk that her kid could fall into the pit and be killed.

Heres where I ask you, what if the kid fell in and snapped his neck and the dogs were not on display that day... would it have still been the zoos fault or parental negligence?

[patriot17762]

four people are DUMB as ****

[NotOnFB]

I agree the Mother should be charged in the little boy's death, she was careless, at fault and caused his painfully horrible death. Why are parents getting away with murder in past few years?

[ugleyme]

Interesting that no one in this society can have an accident anymore. We've become a blood thirsty, vengence oriented people. You are cold hearted.

[Razor14150]

Because its the only way people can get ahead... we all have to blame and sue them... its sad that this case came at a child's life. In this case I believe the parent should stand in court under charges of murder.