A 15-month-old girl from Arizona is fighting to recover after being bitten twice by a diamondback rattlesnake—and hasn’t been able to smile since the terrifying encounter.
Little Cara was rushed to the hospital on Friday after the attack near her home in Florence. Since then, she has received at least 30 vials of antivenom, and doctors say she may need more. Her family is now facing the possibility of long-term complications, including the risk that she may not regain full use of her foot.
“We miss her smiles,” said Cara’s mom, Jacquelyn Reed, in an interview with 12 News.
Reed explained that she and Cara were walking near their home when she briefly stepped away to throw something in the trash. Within seconds, she heard her daughter scream.
“When I came back, I saw four puncture wounds on the top of her foot—right through the little window in her jelly shoe,” Reed said. “Behind her, to her left, was a rattlesnake, coiled up.”
In a panic, Reed grabbed her daughter and rushed her to the nearest emergency room, calling ahead to let them know Cara needed antivenom urgently.
Unfortunately, the hospital couldn’t administer the antidote for over an hour. During that time, Cara’s foot began turning black, according to a GoFundMe campaign created to help cover medical costs.
Reed said Cara vomited and lost consciousness as her condition worsened. She was quickly airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where her treatment continued.
A Complicated Recovery
At the hospital, Cara’s situation remained critical. She was intubated after she began having trouble breathing. Doctors administered additional antivenom and worked around the clock to stabilize her.
After a few difficult days, Cara was finally able to be taken off the ventilator on Tuesday. But her breathing remained labored, and her oxygen levels dropped dangerously low—at times dipping to just 25%.
Specialists examined her and found that her vocal cords had swollen almost completely shut. Doctors gave her steroids, breathing treatments, and a mix of helium and oxygen to help her breathe. They also positioned her body carefully to open her airway.
“We were told that if she didn’t improve within the hour, they’d have to reintubate and take her to surgery,” Cara’s aunt, Delia, wrote on the GoFundMe page.
Miraculously, Cara began to breathe more easily. “She slowly showed improvement and got over the hump,” Delia shared in an update.
By Wednesday, Cara was getting nourishment through a feeding tube and was alert enough to make eye contact and recognize when her mother left the room. “She is so strong and resilient,” Delia wrote. “We’re so happy with the progress she’s making.”
Concerns About Long-Term Damage
Despite the progress, Cara is now showing signs of serious injury to her foot. Doctors have warned the family that permanent damage is possible.
“Her injury is unfortunately one of the more severe cases,” Delia noted. “We’re looking into potential surgery and doing everything we can, but nothing is off the table at this point.”
Even with uncertainty ahead, the family is holding onto gratitude.
“We’re just thankful she’s still here with us,” Delia wrote. The family’s GoFundMe campaign has raised over $17,000 to help cover Cara’s medical expenses.
