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VENEZUELAN WOMAN THROWS HER CHILDREN INTO PIRANHA-INFESTED WATERS

Story Filed: Thursday, March 16, 2000 8:08 AM EST

Caracas, Mar 16, 2000 (EFE via COMTEX) -- A poor Venezuelan woman threw her four children into a piranha-infested river, where they were quickly devoured by the meat-eating fish, according to Thursday's edition of El Nacional, a Caracas-based newspaper.

Betsaida Tibisay Ortiz Pinto, 23, threw her children, aged one to seven, into the Matiyure River, in the province of Apure, and tried to commit suicide after she saw her children eaten alive.

After throwing her children in the river, Ortiz ate some tick repellent and threw herself off a mango tree.

Police spokeswoman Odalys Caldera said that the remains of the four children were recovered Tuesday near the home of Ortiz and Jose Loyola Sanchez Rangel, the children's father.

Ortiz said she threw her children in the river because her husband had not given her enough money to support them. EFE

Copyright (c) 2000. Agencia EFE S.A.

-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 17, 2000

Answers

Sure am glad you told us about this

-- (nemesis@awol.com), March 17, 2000.

Birth control, before the fact, would have eliminated the need for this dire act.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), March 17, 2000.

Good point Gilda.

-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 17, 2000.

10-4 Gilda! Lets see here, 23 years old with 4 children ages 1 through 7. How old do you think she was when the first was conceived, 11? 12? Id like to meet the person that recovered the remains. Her old man is lucky he wasnt in tossing distance. Tick repellant, Mango tree, my head is spinning.

-- Sifting (through@the.rubble), March 17, 2000.

Do the MATH! 23 - 7 is 16. Give a 9-month year for pregnancy, she might have been 15 when the oldest was conceived. Sheesh, even my 6yo could have figured that one out.

Sad, very sad.

-- mathgenius (subtraction@it's.easy), March 18, 2000.

No no! You guys are looking at this all wrong. The Pope has clearly stated, no one should be deprived of the chance to feast at the banquet of life.

And I say, that goes for piranhas too.

-- Debbie (dbspence@usa.net), March 18, 2000.