A copperhead snake bit a four-year-old boy at a North Carolina daycare and the family says staff didn’t call 911.
New Beginnings Child Enrichment Center said the child was playing outside last Thursday when he picked up a snake “out of curiosity,” according to a recent Facebook post.
The daycare center said staff believed the child was suffering from a splinter from the mulch he was playing in.
“Because our mulch is rubber, this seemed unusual, and out of caution, the guardian was called immediately,” the post read.
A copperhead snake, like the one pictured here, bit a four-year-old boy at a North Carolina daycare and the family says staff didn’t call 911 (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission)
With staff believing it was a splinter, they asked his guardian if she would like it to be removed, and she agreed. When staff realized it was not a splinter but a snake bite, they called the guardian back and asked her to pick her child up from daycare “immediately.”
According to WSOC-TV, which identified the child as a four-year-old boy, the family said the staff never called emergency services about the snake bite.
“My first thought was why didn’t they call 911,” Brook Cooper, the boy’s aunt, told the local outlet. “My second thing was like do the parents even know about it.”
The outlet identified the snake as a copperhead. Copperhead snakes are the most common venomous snake in North Carolina, according to NC Poison Control. Roughly half of copperhead snake bites result in only mild swelling and pain.
“All suspected or confirmed copperhead bites should be taken seriously,” poison control officials say. “Healthcare evaluation or a call to NC Poison Control is advised for all bites suspected to be from copperheads.”
The daycare said in its Facebook post the playground was “secured” and the snake was removed, adding more steps with “local professionals” are being taken to “further ensure the safety of our outdoor spaces.”
“Because the guardian was nearby, she was able to arrive quickly and take the child directly to the hospital, where the child received timely treatment and is now recovering,” the center said.
The daycare said the situation was handled “quickly, responsibly, and with the child’s care at the center of every decision.”
The Independent has reached out to the daycare for comment.
Copperhead snakes are the most common venomous snake in North Carolina, according to NC Poison Control (Sean P. Bush/CDC)
Facebook users had mixed reactions, with some being sympathetic to the daycare staff, and some adamant 911 should have been called.
One user, who said her son “grew up” at the daycare, said, “REALLY wish instead of pointing fingers, making assumptions, misunderstanding and bringing others down, that everyone would wait for the whole picture & realize that not everyone is the same type of parent/guardian as you.”
Another said, “WHY WAS 911 NOT CALLED?? I understand contacting the parent but they should have came second! Being bit by a copperhead is an emergency where every second counts!”
