Student bitten by snake at DeKalb elementary school

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A second grade student in DeKalb County was bitten by a snake at school Tuesday.

According to a statement sent to Channel 2 Action News, the child was bitten at Smoke Rise Elementary while playing on the playground.

“Although the snake is believed to be nonpoisonous, out of an abundance of caution, the student was transported to a local hospital,” the statement from the DeKalb County School District said.

Channel 2 Action News Anchor Sophia Choi was outside Smoke Rise Elementary in Stone Mountain on Tuesday talking with parents as they picked up their kids.

“You are the first person who told me, so where is my notification? Is it my child?” Janelle Harris told Choi.

TRENDING STORIES:

Harris wasn’t the only parent upset that they didn’t hear about the snakebite. We talked with several others who weren’t happy.

“I don’t know what they should do, but they should notify the parents if anything’s going on,” Harris said.

The school did, however, hand out a notice to parents as they picked up their kids.

“Emergency medical services were contacted. They were provided with the snake and stated that they believed it to be nonvenomous,” Smoke Rise Elementary School Principal Pamela McCloud said in the handout.

Officials with the school said they contacted animal control and DCSD operations, both of which sent crews to the school.

The school district also said extra staff will be on hand to monitor the playground as a safety precaution.

Cox Media Group