Grandad’s pet monkey ‘tied to a tree’ kills boy, 6, in furious biting rampage

The violent pet monkey, named Choke, was owned by the boy’s grandfather and was reportedly still tethered to a bamboo when it attacked, biting into its victim’s throat

Police were forced to hunt down a crazed pet monkey called Choke after it mauled a young boy to death outside his home.

Seven-year-old Ekkarat Srichan was reportedly playing in front of his house in Thailand when Choke attacked, wrestling the boy to the ground and biting his throat. Ekkarat was rushed to Sichon Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat on June 6.

The violent pet primate was described as being tied to a bamboo post at the time of the attack, but due to the length of its rope the creature was able to reach the boy.

The monkey, which was reportedly rescued from the side of a road by the boy’s grandfather, was released following the attack, prompting a desperate hunt to tranquillize the creature and avoid any further harm.

Ekkarat’s grieving mother, Daranee Srichan, 27, explained that the animal had “punctured” her son’s lung.

She said: “The doctor told me my son couldn’t survive because the monkey’s bite punctured his lung and hit a vital area. If it hadn’t struck that spot, he would have been alright. When I saw him at the hospital, I discovered he had also suffered a bite to his right ribcage.”

She added that the tragic loss had persuaded not to keep potentially dangerous pets anymore, saying:”I won’t keep any more monkeys. If I do, my other son might not survive.”

Residents reportedly claimed that the male macaque had been aggressive in the past, and would often growl and bare its fangs whenever people came close.

They even claimed that it had previously attacked and killed a stray cat while tied to the same post

Police began hunting for the primate after the owner, Ekkarat’s grandfather, released it into the nearby mountains before it could be turned over to wildlife officials.

The grandfather said he now regrets his decision after it cost him his grandson’s life. He said: “I don’t know if the monkey disliked my grandson or not, but they’ve known each other for a long time. It wasn’t their first time meeting.

“It must have been tired and irritated. At first, I thought I made the right decision saving the monkey. But now that this happened, I realise I made a mistake. I have to let it go. I’m not going to keep it anymore. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t want to raise it anymore.”

Officers say that they found the killer monkey in a nearby tree but that they were forced to abandon it due to its aggressive behaviour.

Police said they scoured nearby woodland for the animal and that the monkey has now been successfully captured. It is not thought that any others were harmed during the incident.

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