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Venomous snake found lurking in child’s bed, blending in with her stuffed animals
It is the stuff of nightmares. A family in Australia realized one of the stuffed animals on their young daughter’s bed was not actually a toy — it was a real and highly venomous snake. The red-bellied black snake slithered onto the unicorn-themed bed in Jimboomba, Queensland, and tried to blend in with some toys — but it couldn’t hide for long.
A snake catcher with Snake Catchers Brisbane and Gold Coast responded to the home to remove the snake, and video of the capture has gone viral. After picking up the snake with a tool and his bare hands, the catcher allowed the reptile to slither its way into a bag.
Red-bellied black snakes, which are black with brown noses and red stomachs, are common in eastern Australia, and while they are venomous, they are probably the least dangerous elapid snake on the continent, according to The Australian Museum.
While very few red-bellied black snake bites have been reported, and very few bites have lead to death, the museum says bites should be treated seriously, since individual reactions to venom can vary. Typically, a bite will cause bleeding or swelling, nausea, vomiting, headache, abdominal pain and other symptoms.
These snakes will often freeze when approached and then try to flee, experts say. But if they can’t escape, they might hiss, make mock strikes, or lash out if bothered. If they do attack, they can even latch on and “chew savagely” the museum says.
Australians are no strangers to wild and potentially dangerous animals — in some cases found lurking in their homes. Earlier this year, one family spotted a dangerous eastern brown snake in the underwear drawer of their 3-year-old son. The highly venomous snake was removed by local pest control specialist Mark Pelley, known to as “The Snake Hunter.”
Pelley said the snake likely got into the house when the boy’s mother took the clothing in from a line outside, and got into the drawer when she was folding clothes.
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Teacher, student killed in Wisconsin school shooting identified
A teacher and student killed in a shooting earlier this week at a school in Madison, Wisconsin, were identified Wednesday by authorities.
The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release provided to CBS News that 42-year-old Erin West and 14-year-old Rubi Vergara were fatally shot Monday morning at Abundant Life Christian School.
Preliminary examinations determined the two died of “homicidal firearm related trauma.” Both were pronounced dead at the scene, the medical examiner said.
An online obituary on a local funeral site stated Vergara was a freshman who leaves behind her parents, one brother, and a large extended family. It described her as “an avid reader” who “loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band.”
West’s exact position with the school was unclear.
The medical examiner also confirmed that a preliminary autopsy found that the suspected shooter, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow — a student at the same school — was pronounced dead at a local hospital Monday of “firearm related trauma.” Madison Chief of Police Shon F. Barnes had previously told reporters that Rupnow was pronounced dead while being transported to a hospital.
Police had also previously stated that she was believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting at the private Christian K-12 school was reported just before 11 a.m. Monday. In addition to the two people killed and the shooter, six others were wounded.
Police said the shooting occurred in a classroom where a study hall was taking place involving students from several grades.
A handgun was recovered after the shooting, Barnes said, but it was unclear where the gun came from or how many shots were fired. A law enforcement source said the weapon used in the shooting appears to have been a 9 mm pistol.
and
contributed to this report.
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Last-minute government funding bill in limbo after opposition from Trump, others
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