15-Month-Old Survives Double Rattlesnake Bite Thanks to Quick-Thinking Mom

A 15-month-old girl is making a remarkable recovery after being bitten twice by a rattlesnake in the backyard of her family’s home in Florence, Arizona. The terrifying incident occurred when toddler Cara was playing outside and suddenly suffered two venomous bites to her foot.

Her mother, Jacqueline Reed, immediately noticed something was wrong. “I looked at her foot and she had four distinct puncture marks that were bleeding,” she recalled. Cara began to lose consciousness, vomit, and her foot quickly turned black—clear signs of severe envenomation.

Fortunately, Jacqueline is a pediatric nurse and recognized the urgency of the situation. She rushed Cara to the nearest emergency room equipped with antivenom, fully aware that every second could make the difference between life and death. “I was definitely terrified,” Jacqueline said, “but I was adamant that I was going to move and do as much as I could.”

Cara’s condition was critical. Doctors administered 20 vials of antivenom to counteract the venom’s effects. The young child also had to be placed on a ventilator during treatment. Despite the trauma, Cara has since stabilized and is on the road to recovery.

Jacqueline’s medical training and rapid response were credited with saving her daughter’s life. Her ability to stay calm under pressure proved essential in the high-stakes emergency. “Thank goodness she had a mom who knew exactly what to do,” one bystander noted.

The incident serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers posed by wildlife in residential areas—and the life-saving impact of quick action and medical knowledge.