Rattlesnake Hiding Under Amazon Package Bites California Toddler

An ordinary package pickup turned very dangerous for a Southern California toddler, Fox News reports. Three-year-old Addy Barajas was reaching for an Amazon envelope that had been tossed over her family's front gate when a Southern Pacific rattlesnake hidden underneath struck her left hand, her father told local outlet KTLA. Her mother rushed her toward a nearby grocery store, where paramedics met them and took Addy to a hospital; she later spent two days in a pediatric intensive care unit receiving additional antivenom. The incident took place in Santa Clarita, about 30 miles northeast of Los Angeles, USA Today reports.

Wildlife officials say an unusually warm spring has stirred up rattlesnake activity across California, with Ventura County firefighters reporting multiple bites in a short span and authorities citing three fatal snakebites statewide this year. Recent victims include hikers in Ventura County, one of whom died in March. Health experts urge anyone bitten to seek emergency care immediately, keep movement to a minimum, and skip DIY treatments. Addy is now about "70% recovered," her father said, though her hand remains bruised and she's still asking why the snake bit her. Her family hopes their story prompts others to scan yards and packages more carefully; a GoFundMe is helping cover her medical costs.