Was Python That Killed Two Boys Being Kept Illegally?

Authorities are investigating if the pet store owner had the proper permit to keep the python. INSIDE EDITION investigated the selling of exotic and deadly reptiles.

Authorities are now investigating if the python that strangled two young brothers was being kept illegally by the pet store owner.

Five-year-old Noah and seven-year-old Connor Barthe were killed while sleeping over at a friend's apartment located over an exotic pet store in New Brunswick, Canada.

Now, some experts are questioning if the pet store owner had the proper permits to own such a dangerous snake.  

INSIDE EDITION's Lisa Guerrero investigated the world of exotic snake sales and found anyone can buy all kinds of exotic and potentially dangerous reptiles.

At an exotic reptile expo in Philadelphia, she found anyone could come in and walk right out with a venomous snake.  

For just over $100 and in less than five minutes Guerrero just purchased a deadly cobra.

Tom Hudak is a wildlife educator and snake expert. He said while many dealers are responsible, not enough is being done to keep snakes like these out of the wrong hands.  

Hudak said, "Lets say someone took it to New York City and they lost it in an apartment building. A single bite could kill a person."

While its legal to sell deadly snakes here in Pennsylvania, it's a crime to transport and possess them in many other states without a permit.

So, we wanted to find out how easily we could get our hands on a deadly snake.

Hudak is licensed to possess venomous snakes in New York. He found a listing online for a 6-foot green Mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in the world. The asking price? $255 plus shipping.

He ordered it and within days the creature was shipped to New York with no questions asked.

INSIDE EDITION went to a cargo hanger at New York's JFK airport to pick it up. The Mamba was flown as cargo on a jet packed with passengers. It arrived in New York in this wooden box marked "Venomous."

The snake came packed in newspapers  and double bagged, but even the experts were tense.

"My hearts going a little bit," said Hudak.

In the bag the snake seemed lifeless. But once it saw daylight, it was lightning quick and extremely aggressive.

The experts were able to maneuver the Mamba into a net and seal off the dangerous snake.

It's still being investigated how the python escaped from it's cage and killed the two brothers. But preliminary autopsy results show, they were asphyxiated by the giant snake.

See the investigation on buying potentially dangerous reptiles.