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Texas Teen Suicide By Snakebite: Grant Thompson Used Monocled Cobra To Kill Himself

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 04:03 PST, Nov 13, 2015

A Texas teen suicide by snakebite case revelation shocked many after the Grant Thompson autopsy results were made public. Thompson, 18, was found in an unresponsive state inside his car at a Lowe’s store in Austin in July. Grant was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after being found.

Grant Thompson’s missing monocled cobra was also found shortly after the Texas teen was transported from the Lowe’s parking lot. Police officers searched for the deadly snake after observing a multitude of bites on the young man’s body and the open reptile enclosure.

The cobra missing from an open cage in the bedroom belonging to Grant Thompson quickly alerted the Austin police that the snake bites were caused by one of the Texas teen’s exotic pets. The officer believes the snake was loose inside the car when it bit the young man repeatedly. Monocled cobras are reportedly “highly-aggressive” snakes.

As previously reported by the Inquistr, when paramedics found Grant Thompson in his car and then discovered the Texas teen had 35 puncture wounds on his wrists. The first responders also reportedly found “several” containers inside the vehicle, one of which housed a live snake.

A Temple Daily Telegram article from March stated Grant Thompson was a “passionate animal lover” who worked at a Temple Fish Bowl Pet Express. The teenager would often show exotic animals to children at the pet store owned by his mother, as part of his daily duties.

Hundreds of Ralph Wilson Youth Club members would visit with Grant at the pet store and often referred to the outing as their favorite field trip of the summer.

“He liked interacting with the kids. You could tell he was real educated and loved animals, and he tried to communicate that to kids so they wouldn’t be afraid of the animals but learn to be cautious around them,” Camp director and family friend Charlie Kimmee said.

Thompson’s mother first took him to visit the Temple Fish Bowl Pet Express when he was just a baby. She purchased the business in 2013 when its owners decided to retire.

The autopsy report released on Thursday by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office said Grant Thompson committed suicide by letting the cobra bite him “several” times, the Daily Mail noted. The coroner determined the Texas teen showed no sign of ever attempting to pull away from the monocled cobra as it punctured his skin and bit him. The first snakebite was high on his left shoulder, Thompson was right-handed. This bite caused the coroner to determine that the young man was likely holding the snake in his dominant hand.

The autopsy report also indicated that Grant had a “history of suicidal ideation.” In addition to snake venom being found in Thompson’s system, the coroner also found that both amphetamines and marijuana were also present, as well. Venom from the cobra reportedly causes respiratory failure and typically leads to death in as little as 30 minutes.

An obituary for Grant Thompson said that the teenager “had a unique spirit and focused vision of accomplishing his dream to own Fish Bowl Pet Express,” KXAN reported. The notice went on to state Thompson had a great passion for animals that developed at an early age. The obituary also said Grant surrounded himself with living things and he was eager to share his love of animals, especially exotic pets, with his friends and family.

[Image via Shutterstock.com]

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