A 3-year-old girl in Santa Clarita, California, was bitten by a Southern Pacific rattlesnake that had been hiding beneath an Amazon package containing a gift for her. The incident occurred in the girl's yard as she went to retrieve the delivery.
Manuel Barajas, the girl's father, described the event as "terrifying." He stated on a GoFundMe page that his daughter, Addy, was bitten on her left hand. Her mother immediately transported her to first responders, who took her to a hospital for antivenom treatment. Addy subsequently required a transfer to a pediatric intensive care unit, where she remained for two nights and received two additional doses of antivenom.
Barajas reported that Addy is recovering well, stating she is about 70 percent recovered and her spirits are high, though she still has bruising on her left hand and questions about the snake bite. He was out of town on business when the incident occurred and has since returned to be with his family. He noted that he missed approximately a week of work to care for them.
The family is seeking financial support to cover significant medical expenses, including the hospital stay, antivenom, and pediatric ICU care. The GoFundMe campaign had raised over $12,000 from hundreds of donors at the time of reporting.
This incident follows another recent rattlesnake bite involving a young child. Quinn Robertson, a toddler from Kansas, was bitten twice on the leg by a rattlesnake while vacationing in Colorado with her family.