American Woman Sharon Brown, and Infant Daughter Trampled to Death by Elephant During Hike in Kenya's Castle Forest Lodge

Sharon Brown and her infant daughter trampled to death by elephant during forest trek in Kenya.

Sharon Brown, an American woman, and her baby daughter were trampled to death by an elephant during a forest trek in Kenya. The woman, who worked in the library of the International School of Kenya, along with her daughter had taken part in a guided walk near the Castle Forest Lodge when the incident occurred, according to Melia Van Leer, a spokesperson for the lodge.

The speculation is that the elephant was in a herd of about 20 spotted later in the day with calves. She said elephants can be particularly defensive when they are sheltering their young. This is a tragedy because human encounters with elephants do not usually result in a trampling death. The lodge has reportedly not had any tragic incidents with elephants since 2001.

According to CNN, the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has refused to issue a statement. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the decedents.