List of victims of fatal snake bites in the United States by decade

This is a list of persons who received a fatal snake bite in the United States by decade in reverse chronological order. The United States has about 20 species of venomous snakes which include 16 species of rattlesnakes, 2 species of coral snakes, one species of cottonmouth (or water moccasin), and one species of copperhead. At least one type of venomous snake is found in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. About 12 people per year are killed in the United States by snake bites with most being attributed to the eastern and western diamondback rattlesnake. Copperheads account for more cases of venomous snake bite than any other North American species; however, their venom is the least toxic so their bite is seldom fatal.

Venomous snakes are distributed unevenly throughout the United States — the vast majority of snake bites occur in warm weather states. States like Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

and Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

have a wide variety and large population of venomous snakes. Bites from venomous snakes are extremely rare in the states near the Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

border. Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

, for example, has only one species (Crotalus horridus

Crotalus horridus

Crotalus horridus, the timber rattlesnake, is a species of venomous pitviper found in the eastern United States. This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous northeastern United States. No subspecies are currently recognized....

) and it is rarely seen only in the southern part of the state.

2000s

Richard Rupert, 68, male	October 10, 2009	Rattlesnake Rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...	Hunting with grandson in Oglethorpe County, Georgia Oglethorpe County, Georgia Oglethorpe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the largest county in Northeast Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 12,635. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 13,963... .
Inocenio Hernandez-Hernandez, 29, male	June 10, 2006	Eastern coral snake	Hernandez-Hernandez became the first person to die in the United States from a fatal coral snake bite since 1967. He and Jesus Moreida, both of Bonita Springs, Florida Bonita Springs, Florida Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located on the southwest coast of the state.... , were bitten by a coral snake they tried to kill.
Former police officer from Madison County, Texas	2006	Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake found in North America, a member of the Crotalinae subfamily. The more common name for the species is "copperhead". The behavior of Agkistrodon contortrix may lead to accidental encounters with humans...
Joe Guidry, 54, male	October 2005	Eastern diamondback rattlesnake	Guidry, the Putnam County, Florida Putnam County, Florida Putnam County is a county located in the state of Florida. The entire county makes up the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 70,423. The U.S. Census Bureau 2009 estimate for the county was 72,893 . Its county seat is Palatka, Florida. The county is centrally... fire marshall, went to help a neighbor who had spotted a rattlesnake while mowing grass. He shot at the snake; it went under a shed and Guidry was bitten when he reached for it.
Trent Leprette, 31, male	June 2004	Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake found in North America, a member of the Crotalinae subfamily. The more common name for the species is "copperhead". The behavior of Agkistrodon contortrix may lead to accidental encounters with humans...	Bitten on each hand while swimming in Saugahatchee Creek near Lochapoka, Alabama. Leprette was admitted to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika Opelika, Alabama Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477... ; he developed complications and died after several days of treatment.
Professor Chavez, 34, male	May 2003	Rattlesnake Rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...	Killed in Riverside County, California Riverside County, California Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
Derek Lema, 2, male	September 16 2000	Eastern diamondback rattlesnake	Bitten in the thigh by rattlesnake while helping his dad in their Lakewood, Florida back yard

1990s

Anita Finch, 33, female	Reported December 17, 1999	Gabon viper or Hog-nosed sand viper Vipera ammodytes Vipera ammodytes is a venomous viper species found in southern Europe through to the Balkans and parts of the Middle East. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs and high venom toxicity...	Bitten by either of these snakes she kept as pets in her Van Nuys, California home

1980s

Adult male	1980s	Rattlesnake	A single fatal rattlesnake bite was reported in Utah during this decade

1950s

George Went Hensley George Went Hensley George Went Hensley was one of the founders of the Church of God with Signs Following, a 20th century snake handling movement that was centered in the southeastern United States. A Tennessee native, Hensley contributed to the popularization of snake handling in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee... , 74, male	July 25, 1955	Unknown	Died from a bite sustained while handling snakes Snake handling Snake handling or serpent handling is a religious ritual in a small number of Pentecostal churches in the U.S., usually characterized as rural and Holiness. The practice began in the early 20th century in Appalachia, spreading to mostly coal mining towns. The practice plays only a small part of... during a religious service in Virginia

1940s

Jerry Frier, 7, male	June 22, 1943	Rattlesnake	Died from rattlesnake bite in Lafayette County, Florida Lafayette County, Florida Lafayette County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 7,022. It is the second least populated county in the state, having one more resident, according to the 2000 census, than Liberty County, Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is...

1920s

Rebecca Nimmons, 19, female	July 1928	Rattlesnake	Killed by a rattlesnake in Pickens County, South Carolina

1910s

Helen Moomey, 4, female	1915	Rattlesnake	Died from a rattlesnake bite she received while playing with friends near her house in Billings County, North Dakota Billings County, North Dakota -National protected areas:* Little Missouri National Grassland * Theodore Roosevelt National Park -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 888 people, 366 households, and 255 families residing in the county. The population density was 0.79 people per square mile . There were 529 housing...
two Wilson children	June 1913	unknown, probably a rattlesnake	Bitten and died while family was sleeping on the North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S.... prairie

1900s

Mary Bull, 12, female	July 9, 1907	Rattlesnake	Died from a rattlesnake bite in Shenandoah County, Virginia Shenandoah County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...

Before 1900

Rebecca O. Andrews, approximately 28, female	c. 1890	Rattlesnake	Died from rattlesnake bite in Kansas Kansas Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
James Ananias Brannon, 2, male	July 1882	Rattlesnake	Died from a rattlesnake received while lying on a blanket in Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
George Sides, 6, male	May 30, 1873	Rattlesnake	Died in Texas of a rattlesnake bite
Frederick Louis Niemann, male	1873	Rattlesnake	Died in Saline County, Kansas Saline County, Kansas Saline County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 55,606... , from a rattlesnake bite
William A. Perrin, male	1859	Rattlesnake	Killed by a rattlesnake at Stribling Springs in Augusta County, Virginia Augusta County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
Maggie Lee, female	October 24, 1854	Rattlesnake	She was the first child to die of a snakebite in Parker County, Texas Parker County, Texas As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
H. M. Pettigrew, 31, male	1841	Rattlesnake	He died from a rattlesnake bite while clearing land in Fannin County, Texas Fannin County, Texas As of the census of 2000, there were 31,242 people, 11,105 households, and 7,984 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 12,887 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...

External links

Venomous Snakebites in the United States: Management Review and Update from American Family Physician website

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