Giant Pet Snake Named 'Tiny' Strangles Owner in His Own Home

A 31-year-old snake enthusiast was found dead in his home after being strangled to death by a giant python he had owned since it was a baby.

An investigation into the death of the man, identified as Dan Brandon, showed the snake handler died of asphyxiation after his pet snake, which he called Tiny, wrapped itself around him, crushing him until he stopped breathing.

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A coroner's court in the British county of Hampshire heard how Brandon was found dead on August 25, 2017, showing clear signs of asphyxiation. His 8-foot python, with which he was said to have had a special bond, was hiding nearby, the U.K.'s Independent website reported.

Brandon's mother explained to the court that her son had kept 10 snakes and 23 tarantulas at their family home and had owned the African rock python that eventually killed him since it was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

She added that Tiny had loved Brandon, and he had referred to her as his "baby."

The court concluded that the snake had most likely coiled around its owner or possibly tripped him. The snake reportedly hid itself out of shock after Brandon died.

While he was comfortable with Tiny, Brandon had grown more cautious as it grew to its full 8-foot length and grew in strength.

"He was more wary of Tiny than the other snakes. He said she's very strong. He had stopped putting her round his neck because she was so strong and unpredictable," his mother said.

The pathologist on the case said a hemorrhage behind one of Brandon's eyes, a burst blood vessel and congested lungs all pointed to death by asphyxiation. There were no bite marks on his body, and no signs on the snake that Brandon had struggled to pull it off.

Brandon's mother was home at the time of Brandon's death. She heard a sound that she thought was a large object, like a dumbbell, falling.

When she went upstairs, she found Brandon lying facedown on the floor and called for help. "I cry every day and night and relive that evening all the time," Brandon's mother said in a statement.