Details unfold about woman who died from snakebite

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Date: Sep 13, 2004 - 03:58 PM
Details Unfold About Woman Who Died From Snake Bite

Reported by: Jay Warren/ AP News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News
9/12/04 11:02:38 PM
Some wildlife experts say people who own or keep exotic and/or dangerous animals potentially puts a strain on the local health care system.

This point was brought home after one Tri-state woman likely died as a result of being bitten by one of her own poisonous snakes.

Alexandria Hall, 44-years old, was bitten in her North College Hill home Monday and died Saturday at University Hospital, according to police.

Hall had eight species of venomous snakes, including a shield-nosed cobra, a rhino viper and an Urutu pit viper.

9News asked why some people are driven to having such "pets" in their homes.

"I think some of it's ego, some of it is having something nobody else has," said Tim Mullican, executive director of the Newport Aquarium.

"Those are all very, very "hot" snakes," said Mullican.

"You know there's people that really, really like reptiles and that's fine -- but that's above and beyond," said Mullican, referring to Hall's own collection.

"That's like having a trunk full of automatic weapons and dynamite -- I mean why would you want to mess with it?," asked Mullican.

Cincinnati Zoo officials now have the animals, including the South American Urutu pit viper they believe may have delivered the venomous bite.

"Most bites are actually owner-caused," said Damien Oxier, who works with Arrowhead Reptile Rescue.

"When people are cleaning their cages they can be struck accidentally," said Oxier. "One of the most common reasons is 'feeding bites,' when people are handling rodents or food items and they get that smell on them."

The Newport Aquarium has elaborate handling and venom protocols, but it seems Hall's snakes were even more exotic.

"If someone in this area were to be bit and needs that type of specialized anti-venom -- that needs to come from Miami-Dade in Florida," said Mullican.

"There's not a lot of anti-venom out there, it has to be flown. It's very expensive which means it's not available for somebody else," said Mullican. "If something would happen it's a strain on the system all the way around from the first responders to the hospitals."

Mullican also says consider the long term.

"A lot of people don't think ahead of time, 'What am I going to do when this snake gets to be 15-feet long or when the alligator is five-feet long or when I'm tired of feeding this exotic poisonous snake,' -- I mean what's going to happen to them?," asked Mullican.

Arrowhead Reptile Rescue told 9News that University Hospital only carries anti-venom for snakes native, or indigenous, to Ohio and the region.

In storage anti-venom is only good for about a year and costs $1,000 per dose.

Hall's neighbors knew she had pets, including rabbits and birds, but were unaware of her collection of at least nine poisonous snakes and more than one dozen other snakes, lizards and alligators until police entered her house.

After police broke down the woman's front door, three reptile specialists from Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens entered and searched.

An ambulance waited outside the house in case a venomous snake attacked.

They found more than a half-dozen large lizards running around an upstairs bedroom.

The venomous snakes were in secure plastic cases throughout the house, police and zoo officials said, and non-venomous animals were found under boxes and piles of clothes.

Neighbors say Hall drove herself to Mercy Fairfield Hospital, although she was less than two miles from the closest hospital.

"We have no idea how she made it to the hospital in the first place," said North College Hill police Sergeant Robert Kidd.

Hall was transported from the Fairfield hospital to University Hospital, where she remained in critical condition until her death Saturday evening.