Legacy Matters

Killed by elephant

A rampaging elephant kills a Long Island woman and the 1-year-old daughter she held in her arms

The family was hiking on a nature trail about 1 mile from the Castle Forest Lodge, where the family was vacationing, said the owner, Melia van Laar.

"The elephant emerged from the bush at full speed without any warning," van Laar said. "Everybody ran away, but the lady, burdened by the weight of the baby, perhaps, or in panic, was not able to run fast enough."

Officials identified the woman as Sharon Brown, 39, and said her daughter's name was Margaux. Brown, originally from Miller Place, LI, and her husband are listed as faculty members at the International School of Kenya. Friends and colleagues at the American-curriculum K-12 school held a memorial service yesterday.


Walking tours of Kenya's many national parks are common, though hikers are advised to have an armed guard with them if the park is known to have elephants, said Kentice Tikolo, a spokeswoman for the Kenya Wildlife Service.
"It was a lone elephant, and lone elephants can be quite dangerous," Tikolo said. "It probably felt quite threatened."

What a tragedy on a family outing.  Condolences to her grieving family.