List of fatal snake bites in the United States

This is a list of persons who received a fatal snake bite in the United States by decade in reverse chronological order. The United States has about 20 species of venomous snakes which include 16 species of rattlesnakes, 2 species of coral snakes, one species of cottonmouth (or water moccasin), and one species of copperhead. At least one type of venomous snake is found in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. About 12 people per year are killed in the United States by snake bites[1] with most being attributed to the eastern and western diamondback rattlesnake. Copperheads account for more cases of venomous snake bite than any other North American species; however, their venom is the least toxic so their bite is seldom fatal.[2]

Venomous snakes are distributed unevenly throughout the United States — the vast majority of snake bites occur in warm weather states. States like Florida and Texas have a wide variety and large population of venomous snakes. Bites from venomous snakes are extremely rare in the states near the Canadian border. Maine, for example, has only one species (Crotalus horridus) and it is rarely seen only in the southern part of the state.

Contents

2000s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Richard Rupert, 68, male October 10, 2009 Rattlesnake Hunting with grandson in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. [3]
Inocenio Hernandez-Hernandez, 29, male June 10, 2006 Eastern coral snake Hernandez-Hernandez became the first person to die in the United States from a fatal coral snake bite since 1967. He and Jesus Moreida, both of Bonita Springs, Florida, were bitten by a coral snake they tried to kill.[4]
Former police officer from Madison County, Texas 2006 Copperhead [5]
Joe Guidry, 54, male October 2005 Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Guidry, the Putnam County, Florida fire marshall, went to help a neighbor who had spotted a rattlesnake while mowing grass. He shot at the snake; it went under a shed and Guidry was bitten when he reached for it.
Trent Leprette, 31, male June 2004 Copperhead Bitten on each hand while swimming in Saugahatchee Creek near Lochapoka, Alabama. Leprette was admitted to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika; he developed complications and died after several days of treatment.[6]
Professor Chavez, 34, male May 2003 Rattlesnake Killed in Riverside County, California
Derek Lema, 2, male September 16 2000 Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Bitten in the thigh by rattlesnake while helping his dad in their Lakewood, Florida back yard

1990s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Anita Finch, 33, female Reported December 17, 1999 Gabon viper or Hog-nosed sand viper Bitten by either of these snakes she kept as pets in her Van Nuys, California home[7]

1980s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Adult male 1980s Rattlesnake A single fatal rattlesnake bite was reported in Utah during this decade

1950s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
George Went Hensley, 74, male July 25, 1955 Unknown Died from a bite sustained while handling snakes during a religious service in Virginia

1940s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Jerry Frier, 7, male June 22, 1943 Rattlesnake Died from rattlesnake bite in Lafayette County, Florida

1920s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Rebecca Nimmons, 19, female July 1928 Rattlesnake Killed by a rattlesnake in Pickens County, South Carolina

1910s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Helen Moomey, 4, female 1915 Rattlesnake Died from a rattlesnake bite she received while playing with friends near her house in Billings County, North Dakota
two Wilson children June 1913 unknown, probably a rattlesnake Bitten and died while family was sleeping on the North Dakota prairie

1900s

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Mary Bull, 12, female July 9, 1907 Rattlesnake Died from a rattlesnake bite in Shenandoah County, Virginia

Before 1900

Name, age, gender Date Species Location, comments
Rebecca O. Andrews, approximately 28, female c. 1890 Rattlesnake Died from rattlesnake bite in Kansas
James Ananias Brannon, 2, male July 1882 Rattlesnake Died from a rattlesnake received while lying on a blanket in Texas
George Sides, 6, male May 30, 1873 Rattlesnake Died in Texas of a rattlesnake bite
Frederick Louis Niemann, male 1873 Rattlesnake Died in Saline County, Kansas, from a rattlesnake bite
William A. Perrin, male 1859 Rattlesnake Killed by a rattlesnake at Stribling Springs in Augusta County, Virginia
Maggie Lee, female October 24, 1854 Rattlesnake She was the first child to die of a snakebite in Parker County, Texas
H. M. Pettigrew, 31, male 1841 Rattlesnake He died from a rattlesnake bite while clearing land in Fannin County, Texas

See also

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ "Snake Bites". Survive Outdoors Inc.. http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/snakes/snake-bites.asp. Retrieved 2011-01-05. 
  2. ^ "Copperhead snake page". Snakesandfrogs.com. http://www.snakesandfrogs.com/scra/snakes/copperh.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
  3. ^ "Boy couldn't save snakebit grandpa". http://www.ajc.com/news/boy-couldnt-save-snakebit-161981.html. Retrieved 2011-08-19. 
  4. ^ "Southeastern Outdoors – Fatal Coral Snake Bites". http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/reptiles/fatal-coral-snake-bites.html. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  5. ^ "The copperhead snake". http://www.copperheadsnake.net. Retrieved 2010-10-24. 
  6. ^ "Fatal Snake Bite". WTVY.com. June 23, 2004. http://www.wtvy.com/news/headlines/846297.html. Retrieved 2010-07-27. 
  7. ^ "Zoo volunteer killed by deadly snake bite". Sacramento Bee. December 17, 1999. http://www.igorilla.com/animal/1999/snake_bite_kills_woman.html. 
General references

External links