Four-year-old bitten by copperhead at South Carolina daycare; family says staff did not call 911

A 4-year-old boy was bitten by a venomous copperhead snake while playing near a sandbox at a daycare in Stony Point, South Carolina, and the child’s family says staff did not call 911. Police confirmed they did not receive an emergency call about the incident, and the child was taken to a hospital and treated for the bite.

According to the daycare’s owner, staff initially believed the boy’s swollen, shaking hand was caused by a splinter and contacted the child’s guardian before realizing it was a snake bite. Tiffany Robinson, owner of New Beginnings Child Enrichment Center, said in a Facebook post that the guardian was called back, arrived quickly and took the child directly to the hospital, where the child received treatment and is recovering.

Family members questioned the decision not to call 911. The boy’s aunt, Brook Cooper, told WSOCTV9 that the daycare director announced the child had been bitten and that her first thought was, "why didn’t they call 911? My second thing was like, do the other parents even know?" Local police told WSOCTV9 they did not receive a 911 call regarding the snake bite.

Robinson said the playground was secured and that a daycare worker removed the snake shortly after the incident. Alexander County Emergency Services said its crews respond to snake bites every year and that first responders do not carry antivenom but can provide care before patients are transported to hospital.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says there are six types of venomous snakes in the state and that the copperhead is the most common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 8,000 people in the United States are bitten by venomous snakes each year and that about five of those people die. The CDC also notes that receiving antivenom as soon as possible after a copperhead bite can help limbs recover faster and reduce the chance of long-term disability.

Robinson said the daycare is taking additional steps to ensure the safety of its outdoor spaces. The child’s relatives were contacted for comment, and the daycare said the child is now recovering after receiving hospital treatment.