CAMPBELLTON, New Brunswick, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A vigil was held in Campbellton, New Brunswick, for two boys who were killed by a African rock python that escaped its cage at a local pet store.
Hundreds of people attended the 30-minute vigil Wednesday evening, including the Campbellton Deputy Mayor Ian Comeau, to mourn the loss of Noah and Connor Barthe, CBC News reported.
The vigil was a "celebration of two beautiful angels, Noah and Connor," Comeau said.
Noah, 4, and Connor, 6, were killed earlier this week when the snake somehow got out of its glass cage and into a ventilation system. The snake, which was about 14 feet long and weighed about 100 pounds, later fell through the ceiling and into the room where the two boys were sleeping.
An autopsy of the boys, completed Tuesday, found that they died from asphyxiation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.
"At least right now we have a cause of death. Even though we still need some reports from the pathologist to be forwarded, that's going to help the investigation to move forward," RCMP Sgt. Alain Tremblay told CBC News.
The snake has been euthanized and a necropsy has been performed, the RCMP said.
"It appears the snake was overall in good health, although the final report will take time to come back," said an RCMP statement.
