The 3-year-old daughter of a family living in Southern California was bitten by a rattlesnake hidden under an Amazon package left at their front door. Father Manuel Barajas said his daughter Addy ran outside to get the package and the Southern Pacific rattlesnake under the padded envelope bit her on the left hand.
After the incident, the mother immediately took the child to a nearby grocery store parking lot where they met paramedics. Addy was first taken to a hospital, then transferred to a pediatric intensive care unit, and received antivenom treatment for two days.
Barajas said his daughter is now about 70 percent recovered, the bruising on her hand persists but her spirits are good. The father stressed that families should be careful around their homes and know which hospitals can handle pediatric snake bite emergencies.
Snake bites on the rise in California
Wildlife experts say this year's unusually warm spring has increased rattlesnake activity across California, and the state has seen three fatal snake bites. The Ventura County Fire Department previously reported responding to seven rattlesnake bites in one month, attributing the rise to hot weather causing snakes to emerge earlier than normal.
The latest incident is the latest in a series of serious snake bite cases in the state. In May, a woman hiking in Ventura County was airlifted to a hospital after being bitten by a rattlesnake on a remote trail. In March, a Thousand Oaks woman died from a snake bite while walking in Wildwood Regional Park.
Health officials stress that anyone bitten by a rattlesnake should seek immediate emergency medical help, remain as still as possible, and avoid home remedies that could worsen the injury.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to cover Addy's medical expenses and the family's lost income.
