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17 year old charged in snake bite
LOWER POTTSGROVE -- The 17-year-old boy who brought a copperhead snake to
St. Pius X High School where it bit a fellow student has been charged for
the Oct. 21 incident, according to police.
The boy, whose name was not re-leased because of his age, was charged with
recklessly en-dangering an-other person and simple assault, which will be
handled through the Montgomery County juvenile court system, according to
Lower Pottsgrove police.
Also, the boy was fined because he took the snake from Valley Forge National
Park, police said. A phone call to a member of the U.S. Park Service for
further details was not immediately returned.
Kaitlin Chrobocinski, a 14-year-old freshman at St. Pius, was bitten on the
middle finger of her right hand as drama students, who had gathered at the
school on an in-service day, looked at the snake. The boy had kept the snake
in a shoebox after capturing it on Oct. 15.
Kaitlin said previously that several students handled the snake, but it bit
her without provocation as she held it.
Initial reports said Kaitlin could lose her arm because of the snake bite
after 45 minutes had passed before she was taken to the hospital for
treatment.
Police said Friday the delay in getting treatment for Kaitlin was not due to
a lack of action by the drama teacher, but the students’ reluctance to tell
her what had happened. The teacher was not negligent in the incident and
will not be charged, police said.
Police said school officials had no prior knowledge about the snake being
stored in the building and took appropriate action after Kaitlin was bitten.
"Everyone involved in the incident, including the juvenile, his family and
school officials, have been 100-percent cooperative during the
investigation," said Lower Pottsgrove police Detective Mike Foltz.
About one week after the incident, the boy withdrew from St. Pius as the
result of a family decision, said the Rev. Joseph Bongard,
president/principal of the high school. He said the boy was not disciplined
by the school since, at the time of his withdrawal, the incident was still
under investigation.
"This was a very difficult time and we’re certainly glad it’s coming to a
close," Bongard said.
Bongard said Kaitlin has returned to school and, to his knowledge, has no
problems with using her right arm.
Kaitlin said previously she threw the snake across the room after it bit her
and, thinking it was dead, students threw it out a back door. Apparently,
the snake was only stunned and was missing when the students returned to
look for it.
A picture on the boy’s camera phone allowed authorities to identify the
snake and treat Kaitlin appropriately, police said.
Last edited by NicoleRussell : 12-04-2005 at 01:01 AM.
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