Young girl recovers after venomous snake bite; mother speaks out
Wildlife officers stress snake safety as weather warms up
BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A nine-year-old Benton County girl is recovering after her mother says she was bitten by a poisonous snake earlier this week.
Nikki Dillehay describes the frightening seconds after her daughter Hayden was bitten by a copperhead snake.
“She just screamed, and she had a tiny little puncture mark on her toe,” Dillehay said. “It looked like she had been stung.”
Dillehay says she and Hayden spent the afternoon at Eagle Creek in Benton County.
Just as they were leaving, she says the snake, hidden in the leaves bit Hayden on her toe.
“It was terrifying, just terrifying,” Dillehay said. 
Dillehay says her daughter was rushed to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.
“They expected her to be down about a week, and she’s already on crutches hobbling around,” Dillehay said. “I mean she’s a trooper, God has really worked through her this week.”
While not all snakes are bad, TWRA regional manager Alan Peterson says be prepared to see them more often as the weather warms up.
“Those are the ones you’re going to find in the wooded areas with leaves, and they blend in perfectly with the leaves,” Peterson said.
Wildlife officers say snakes generally like to hide under pieces of wood or rocks, so it’s best not to flip them over.
“Snakes try to stay out of view, so they hide under especially flat objects,” Peterson said.
As for Hayden, her mother says she’s expected to make a full recovery.
But Dillehay wants to warn parents, you can never be too careful.
“I just thank God that she is not hurt worse than she is,” she said. “It’s truly been a miracle.”
TWRA officers remind people to always wear closed toes shoes or boots when walking in wooded areas.
