Britagne Miller, a mother of four from Goddard, Kansas, is in critical condition after being bitten by approximately 15 spiders during a family camping trip at Cheney Lake. The incident, which began on May 28, has led to severe pain, painful blood clots in her legs, and a serious infection, complicating her existing rare blood conditions and compromised liver.
Miller reported feeling numerous spiders crawl up her legs and into her clothing while she was sitting by a campfire. In the week following the incident, she experienced excruciating pain in her right leg, described as feeling like being stabbed. This led to her admission to Wesley Hospital in Wichita on June 4, where a large hematoma was discovered on her calf. Surgery was required to remove blood clots and drain the affected area.
Her existing health issues, including end-stage liver failure, made the surgical procedures particularly dangerous, with doctors warning of a high risk of bleeding. According to a GoFundMe campaign initiated by her husband, Jake Miller, multiple physicians gave her only days to a month to live and recommended hospice care. Miller spent time in intensive care units before being moved to a regular floor, where she reportedly expressed a strong will to fight for her family.
Doctors have not definitively identified the spider species, but suspect it may have been a brown recluse, known to be one of the two venomous spiders native to Kansas. Reactions to their bites can range from mild irritation to dangerous infections. Brown recluse spiders are generally small, with a leg span about the size of a U.S. quarter.
Despite initial improvements and receiving multiple life-saving treatments, including blood transfusions and various clotting factors, Miller developed a blood infection and a bacterial staph infection. This necessitated bedside procedures to remove dead tissue around her stitches and additional antibiotic treatments.
Miller is now awaiting a liver transplant, but medical professionals have indicated it could be several months before she is stable enough for the operation. Her husband, Jake Miller, has remained by her side throughout her hospitalization, caring for their four children, aged nine to 15, while also dealing with the loss of his job and health insurance due to his inability to maintain his employer's required work schedule. He noted that the financial strain has put the family in a difficult position.