A three-year-old girl from Santa Clarita, California, was hospitalized in the intensive care unit after a rattlesnake bit her while she reached for an Amazon package outside her home. The incident occurred on July 13, when Addy ran out with her mother, Lynn, to retrieve a package that had been dropped over the gate.
Snake hidden under package
According to Addy's father, Manny Barajas, a southern Pacific rattlesnake was hiding under the brown padded envelope and bit Addy's left hand. Barajas shared the story in a fundraising campaign note, writing: 'Tragically, a southern pacific rattlesnake was hiding under the brown padded envelope and bit Addy’s left hand.'
Emergency response and treatment
Lynn took Addy to meet first responders at a nearby grocery store parking lot. They transported her to a hospital where she received a dose of anti-venom. She was then transferred to another facility with a pediatric ICU, where she received two more doses of anti-venom. According to Barajas, the treatment was effective.
Barajas told KTLA: 'She’s doing great now. She’s still bruised on her left hand where she was bitten. Her spirits are high, her demeanor is great, but she keeps asking why she was bitten by a snake.'
Increase in rattlesnake bites in California
Rattlesnake bites have become more common in California this year, with heatwaves since March increasing snake activity. Three people have died this year, which is about two more than usual. The California poison control system has received reports of 277 bites so far this year, according to the Los Angeles Times, almost as many as it normally receives in an entire year.
Rattlesnakes typically avoid humans but will bite when they feel threatened, cornered, or surprised. California poison control and the Los Angeles County Fire Department did not immediately return requests for comment.
