Sitting on the porch of her North Second Street home, four-year-old Aerielle cradles a python in her hands. This snake, two corn snakes and two other pythons are family pets.
You would never know just hours earlier that this little girl was attacked and bitten by one.
You would never know just hours earlier that this little girl was attacked and bitten by one.
"I was scared," said mom Brandi. "Very scared, I did freak out."
Brandi says it all happened around 3:30 Wednesday when they went to pick up Aerielle's brother from the bus stop.
"She took her hand and was putting it in front of the snakes face," explained Brandi. "Her father had went to grab the snake from her, and at that time it was just too late, the snake lunged at her."
The male python was biting Aerielle's chest.
The family rushed back to the house and Brandi called the police. When officers arrived the family was already cutting the python's neck to get it off the little girl. One tooth was stuck on her skin, and she was bleeding.
"He took us right over to the hospital, they checked her temperature to make sure her temperature was okay, they did x-rays," said Brandi. "They said everything looks fine, there's nothing to worry about."
About two hours later they were able to go home. And the damage isn't bad, just a few small cuts and scrapes on Aerielle's chest where she was bitten.
"I think it scared her more than anything," said Brandi. "Because she says it doesn't hurt, she keeps showing mommy that it's okay."
The snake was a ball python, about a year and half old and nearly three feet long. Pythons aren't venomous, they're usually very calm and relaxed, and the family tells us they're legal in Lehighton.
"We actually have locks on the cages just so the kids don't get into them, because you never know."
Even so, the family says they're not taking any more chances.
"All the snakes are actually gonna be gone, we're gonna get rid of them all," said Brandi.
She says snakes are a great family pet; they just have a bad reputation.
Police tell WFMZ they're still investigating.
(WFMZ - August 30, 2012)
