A 3-year-old girl from Santa Clarita, California, was bitten by a rattlesnake concealed beneath an Amazon package delivered to her home on July 13. Addy Barajas, who initially ran excitedly to open the package, suffered a bite to her left hand from a southern Pacific rattlesnake. Following the incident, her mother quickly transported her to a nearby grocery store parking lot, where an ambulance met them and took Addy to a local hospital for emergency care.

Addy received an initial dose of antivenom before being transferred to a medical facility equipped with a pediatric intensive care unit, where she was administered two additional doses over the next two days. Her family set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses and lost income resulting from her father Manuel Barajas missing work. Despite the severity of the bite, Addy is expected to recover.

This case is part of a notably active year for rattlesnake bites across California. Typically occurring between April and October, rattlesnake incidents have surged in 2026, attributed by experts to unseasonably warm weather that encouraged snakes to emerge from hibernation earlier than usual in search of food and mates. By mid-July, the California Poison Control System reported 277 rattlesnake bites statewide, approaching the annual average range of 290 to 390. The year has also seen multiple fatalities related to snakebites.

Rais Vohra, the medical director of the state poison control system, emphasized that the number of reported incidents likely underrepresents the total, as reporting is voluntary and depends on notifications from healthcare providers and the public. One notable recent case involved a man from Idaho bitten twice in Butte County; he required a 12-day hospitalization and received 54 vials of antivenom.

Rattlesnake bites deliver venom that damages skin, soft tissue, and connective tissue, causing swelling, bruising, and sometimes severe complications if not treated promptly. Antivenom remains the most effective treatment, halting the progression of tissue damage rather than reversing harm already done. On average, patients require between 15 and 20 vials, though the exact amount depends on clinical factors such as swelling severity, pain levels, and laboratory results.

Hospitals maintain varying supplies of antivenom. Cedars-Sinai noted it keeps enough stock for initial treatment of several patients and follows established protocols to replenish supplies in complex cases. Providence’s network of 11 Southern California hospitals currently holds a combined total of 167 vials. Vohra highlighted the importance of balancing careful use of this costly and limited resource with ensuring each patient receives appropriate care.

California hospitals primarily use two FDA-approved antivenoms, CroFab and Anavip, derived from the blood of animals immunized with snake venom. The increased incidence of bites in 2026 reflects the impact of environmental conditions on snake behavior, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by residents in snake-inhabited regions during warmer months.