6-Year-Old Oklahoma Girl Suffers Life-Threatening Snake Bite

A six-year-old girl is recovering in the hospital after a life-threatening snake bite.

Now, the family is warning people to be careful when they head outdoors.

Aubrey Patton was enjoying the outdoors at Elk Creek Friday with her family when they say a large cottonmouth snake bit her on the foot.
 
"She wanted to go to the creek to celebrate," said Grandmother Carol Nichols. 

Aubrey was celebrating her kindergarten graduation exploring the outdoors when she felt something bite her foot.

"She had never dreamed something like that could happen and she's still in shock over it," Nichols said. "She said, 'ouch,' and her mom turned around and said ‘what happened?’ She said ‘that stick got me’."

What she thought was a stick turned out to be a large cottonmouth snake.

"She got in the water and swam for about 30 minutes and got up to her dad and said my foot really hurts, and he looked down and it was black," Nichols said. 

"Although death by snakebite is rare, very rare, you can get bit easily," Tulsa County Game Warden Carlos Gomez. 

Gomez said the best thing to do when you see one is to avoid it.

"Pay attention to wherever you're walking and don't mess with them if you don't have to," Gomez said.  

Aubrey was rushed to the hospital Friday evening. After being treated with 18 vials of anti-venom, her grandparents say she is feeling much better.

"She's doing great. She's happy, bouncing around in the bed, being a little girl. So, everything's good again," Nichols said. 

Nichols said the next photos she hopes to send family and friends will be of Aubrey leaving the hospital.

Nichols said Aubrey is doing well and is no longer in a lot of pain.

They are hoping she will be released from this hospital Monday.