Categories: Uncategorized

Snakebite Kills Missouri Man After He Refuses Medical Attention Over Cost

It’s not often a man dies in Missouri from a venomous snakebite. Reportedly, a Nixa man passed away Saturday after suffering bites from a snake, likely a cottonmouth aka water moccasin. Allegedly, the victim, Gilbert De Leon, refused medical attention and died in his sleep from the snake’s bite, according to a May 28 report from USA Today.

On the day the man died, he and his girlfriend were at the Delaware Access southwest in their hometown. Christian County Coroner Brad Cole said De Leon, 37, waded into the St. James River and was bitten by a snake at least twice.

“His girlfriend reported that he yelled he’d been bitten by a snake and got out of the river to find he’d been bitten twice — once on each leg. I’m not sure what kind of snake bit him, but the only venomous water snake I’m aware of is a cottonmouth. It could have been something else, but we just don’t know.”

The victim’s companion pleaded with him to go to a hospital for treatment. However, the man refused, stating that he was not financially able to afford the cost of an emergency room visit from the animal attack. Instead, he went home, Cole said. There, the man fell asleep despite more pleas from his girlfriend to visit the hospital. At some point later, she heard the man snoring louder than usual. The next morning, she found her lover dead.

Cole said the man’s death was shocking; it’s the first snakebite he’s seen in his professional career in the state. Judging by the short width of the fang marks, the snake responsible for the fatal bites was not a large species.

Although the man died from the bite of a snake, fatalities are rare in the state of Missouri. According to an MDC report by Jim Low, “snakebites ranks just above falling space debris as a threat to human life.”

Based on a study by the state’s Poison Center over six years, there were 596 reports of snakebites. Of those, none were fatal. In fact, the last known death from a bite took place in 1965. Time Magazine did a study on the the frequency of deaths from various sources during 2002 and noted the following: accidents (44,757), bicycles (762), pool drownings (515), bee/wasp stings (66), lightning (47) dog attacks (32) and snakebites (2).

Source: Inquisitr

TF&G Staff

Recent Posts

Here Are The Details On the Proposed Speckled Trout Trophy Tag

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission is set to make a decision on a trophy…

2 days ago

TX Wardens Bust Snapper Poachers

Texas Game Wardens, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)…

2 days ago

Hunt-Fish Podcast Summit Kicks Off Thursday

The fourth annual Hunt-Fish Podcast Summit kicks off Thursday March 21 at the Warren Ranch…

2 days ago

Catching Trout on Swimbaits & Eel Imitations

A great way to cover water and mimic what big trout are eating this time…

2 days ago

Are Elk Populations Rising In Several Parts of Texas?

“Hey Chester, you’ve got to check out what I got on my game camera.” An…

2 days ago

CCA Texas Funds Over $7 Million In Oyster Restoration

Some  80% of oyster reefs have disappeared, reduced from overharvesting and environmental events. The oyster…

2 days ago