A delivery in a Santa Clarita yard led to a family emergency after a 3-year-old girl was bitten by a rattlesnake concealed under the package she went to pick up.
Her case comes as Southern California is seeing a sharp rise in rattlesnake bites, as KTLA detailed.
What happened?
According to her father, Manuel Barajas, his daughter Addy had been told by her mother that an Amazon package had been tossed over the gate into the yard.
Knowing the delivery was meant for her, the 3-year-old hurried outside and grabbed the padded envelope, unaware that a Southern Pacific rattlesnake was resting beneath it, the station reported.
KTLA said the snake struck Addy on the left hand. Her mother took her to a nearby grocery store parking lot to meet an ambulance, and Addy was then taken to a hospital for antivenom before being transferred to another hospital with a pediatric intensive care unit. She stayed there for two days and received three antivenom doses altogether.
By early July, Southern California had logged nearly 250 rattlesnake bites and three deaths, as KTLA noted. Experts told the station that a March heat wave likely contributed to earlier seasonal snake activity.
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A couple of recent events stand out. An Ohio man visiting family in California nearly died after a rattlesnake bite, per KTLA, and a 22-year-old required 34 doses of antivenom after getting bitten while running on a trail.
Why does it matter?
What happened was not a wilderness encounter but an injury that occurred immediately outside a family's home.
Wildlife encounters are often shaped by human activity. Expanding neighborhoods, hardscaping, fenced yards, and the constant movement of packages and other outdoor objects can create more meeting points between people and animals seeking shelter from the heat or hiding in shaded spaces.
When temperatures climb earlier in the year, snakes may become active sooner and show up in places residents do not expect. Routine moments like grabbing a package, gardening, or moving outdoor toys can quickly turn into medical emergencies.
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In pediatric emergencies, access to hospitals equipped for intensive care can make a major difference.
What's being done?
Barajas told KTLA he is sharing his family's experience.
In snake-prone areas, visually check before reaching under packages, planters, tarps, toys, or outdoor cushions.
Teach children not to grab items from porches or yards before an adult takes a quick look first. A hidden animal may be seeking shade or cover rather than trying to attack.
If you live in rattlesnake country, make an emergency plan before something happens. That can include knowing which nearby hospitals handle pediatric emergencies, keeping your phone accessible while outside, and calling professionals rather than trying to move a snake yourself.
A GoFundMe has been organized to help the family with Addy's medical bills and the family's missed work as she recovers.
"She's doing great now. She's, I want to say, about 70% recovered," Barajas shared with KTLA. "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."
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