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.
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
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
- General references
External links