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The California toddler was rushed to the hospital and treated with antivenom after a Southern Pacific rattlesnake bit her hand
NEED TO KNOW
- A 3-year-old California girl was bitten by a rattlesnake hiding under an Amazon package
- She was hospitalized for two nights and treated with three doses of antivenom
- Her family says she’s now recovering at home after the frightening encounter
A Southern California family is speaking out after their 3-year-old daughter was bitten by a rattlesnake that had been hiding beneath an Amazon package left outside their home.
The frightening incident, which the girl’s parents described in a GoFundMe campaign, comes as officials continue to warn of heightened rattlesnake activity across Southern California this year.
The family’s fundraiser said that 3-year-old Addy excitedly ran to retrieve an Amazon package after her mother, Lynn, told her it had arrived. As she reached for the padded envelope, a Southern Pacific rattlesnake hidden beneath it bit her left hand. The incident occurred in Santa Clarity, Calif. last week, according to The Los Angeles Times.
“I’m reaching out for help after a terrifying experience that turned our world upside down,” Addy’s father wrote on the fundraiser.
Lynn added that he immediately drove Addy to meet firefighters and paramedics in a nearby grocery store parking lot before she was taken to a local hospital.
After receiving an initial dose of antivenom, Addy was transferred to another hospital with a pediatric intensive care unit, where she was treated with two additional doses of antivenom and remained hospitalized for two nights, according to the fundraiser.
Manny said he was out of town for work when the bite occurred and flew home as soon as he learned what had happened.
Now, the family says they are facing mounting medical expenses from Addy’s hospitalization, antivenom treatments and pediatric ICU stay, in addition to lost income after Manny missed about a week of work while caring for his family.
“We are doing everything we can to support Addy’s healing, but the costs are overwhelming,” he wrote. “We never imagined we’d be in this situation, and it’s hard to ask for help, but we need support to get through this difficult time.”
He added that any donations would help cover medical bills and ease the financial burden so the family can focus on their daughter’s recovery.
The incident comes amid an increase in reported rattlesnake encounters across Southern California.
In May, the Ventura County Fire Department said firefighters had responded to a seventh reported rattlesnake bite in Ventura County since mid-March after a hiker was bitten along Long Canyon Trail in the Wood Ranch area.
At the time, the department advised people to stay on marked trails, watch where they step, wear boots and long pants, and check carefully before stepping over rocks or logs.
Emergency responders also stressed that anyone bitten by a rattlesnake should remain as calm as possible, limit movement and call 911 immediately, while avoiding the use of tourniquets or attempts to remove venom.
The California Poison Control System warns that rattlesnake bites are venomous and can be dangerous or even life-threatening, with symptoms sometimes appearing within minutes or hours.
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Officials continue to emphasize that staying alert and avoiding contact with wildlife remains the best way to prevent potentially dangerous encounters.
While rattlesnakes are typically not aggressive, bites can occur when the animals feel threatened, and they also play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Read the original article on People
