A six-year-old girl in Tigerton, Wisconsin, was bitten by a rabid bat while playing outdoors, prompting her older brothers to intervene. The incident occurred last week when Cecilia "Cece" Kale was on a tree in her family's yard. The bat swooped down and bit her left thigh.
Her brothers, 11-year-old Nicklas and 16-year-old Camden, acted quickly to push the bat away from their sister. Nicklas then used a homemade sword, inspired by the movie "Braveheart," to kill the animal. Their mother, Elizabeth Kale, told NBC News that Nicklas made the sword, stating, "We love ‘Braveheart.’ "
The bat later tested positive for rabies. Cece received a series of five rabies vaccine shots within 48 hours of the attack. According to health officials, the rabies virus is nearly fatal without prompt treatment, but the vaccine regimen is highly effective in preventing the disease.
The Shawano-Menominee County Health Department confirmed this is the first rabies case in the county this year. A spokesperson stated that while rabid bats are not uncommon in the area annually, this positive result serves as a reminder of the disease's presence in local wildlife. Early rabies symptoms can include irritability, headache, fever, double vision, and itching or pain at the bite site. If symptoms progress, they can lead to muscle spasms, convulsions, delirium, paralysis, and ultimately death. Once symptoms appear, the virus is untreatable.
Health officials are advising residents to ensure their pets are vaccinated against rabies and to avoid contact with wild animals, particularly those exhibiting unusual behavior.
Elizabeth Kale noted that her daughter, Cece, did not seem significantly distressed by the encounter and described her as "brave and has a stronger constitution than the rest of us."
This incident follows a recent report of an 11-year-old boy in Canada who died from rabies after waking up with a bat on his face, despite having no visible signs of a bite or scratch.