Woman dies from rattlesnake bite in Thousand Oaks

[jeff of pa]

Mar 26, 2026

A 46-year-old Ventura County woman died last week just five days after being bit by a rattlesnake in a popular Thousand Oaks park frequented by hikers, officials confirmed to KTLA. Sandra Mitchell reports March 25, 2026.
that was the 2nd Death So Far.
4 People Bit in 10 Days

 

[Trezurehunter]

That's a shame for her and all the others. If your going to hike in Rattlesnake territory, it might be a good idea to invest in some snake boots.

 

[Gare]

5 to 10 years ago. We were camped in Benezette pa with our horses. Four or 5 times each year. In that o miles from where we were camping a guy was getting firewood for his campfire was bitten by a rattle snake .I understand he was with people that had no idea where a hospital was .. He died because of no one properly i was told. I do not know much more about it. I had camped in that general area for at least 20 years. In that time i had seen 3 rattle snakes . When getting wood out of a pile or stack you also NEEWD TO BE CAREFUL !!!

 

[djackson7348]

5 to 10 years ago. We were camped in Benezette pa with our horses. Tw4 or 5 times each year. In that o miles from where we were camping a guy was getting firewood for his campfire was bitten by a rattle snake .I understand he was with people that had no idea where a hospital was .. He died because of no one properly i was told. I do not know much more about it. I had camped in that general area for at least 20 years. In that time i had seen 3 rattle snakes . When getting wood out of a pile or stack you also NEEWD TO BE CAREFUL !!!

Very true Gare. Here in North Carolina, I have found copperheads in my wood pile before besides finding harmless snakes that simply scare the hell out you.

 

[Gare]

I just wanted to point out there are other places people get bit besides there feet and legs

 

[russau]

Sorry to hear of this my prayers go out to their familys for their loss !

 

[Earlafindit]

I just wanted to point out there are other places people get bit besides there feet and legs

Yes, they do, buddy on his dad's property in the mountains, Garrett Co. Md. decides to pick up a timber rattler for kicks & a pick, he thought he had it good before it cured up on his forearm & bit him in the finger , long story short , he was lucky to make it to the hospital in time , after several doses of anti-venom , heart racing , thought he was going to die , he almost lost his finger , but didn't , to this day the finger is far from 100% , Hospital costs were 72,000 dollars , lucky the insurance paid all but 2,000 dollars , we called him Snake Bit ,-at work for a few years -after it happened , one of the stupidest things he has ever done , gone wrong , Timber Rattlers usually run away from human's unless aggravated , lesson learned , I got some knee high snake boots since , no longer hunt , new in a box , size 15 sitting , be safe,-not sorry !

 

[Gare]

Great reply Earlfindit Some folks think it could NEVER happen to them

 

[ToddsPoint]

I’m glad we don’t have them or any venomous snakes. The WI glacier eradicated them from central IL and they never returned. If you go south of the terminal moraine, which is 10 miles south of me, snake country starts. Timber, copperheads and cotton mouths are all there.

 

[Gare]

I’m glad we don’t have them or any venomous snakes. The WI glacier eradicated them from central IL and they never returned. If you go south of the terminal moraine, which is 10 miles south of me, snake country starts. Timber, copperheads and cotton mouths are all there.

Do you want some MORE ?? LOL

 

[Red-Coat]

I just wanted to point out there are other places people get bit besides there feet and legs

True enough. Julian Hernandez died in hospital ten days before Gabriela Bautista died. He’d been bitten in Quail Hill (not actually in Thousand Oaks) over a month earlier. Although he was bitten on the leg, he lost balance on his mountain bike while adjusting his shoe and fell into some brush, so the rattler could have got him anywhere, really. Stay safe folks and RIP to those unfortunate victims.

 

[pa plateau hiker]

5 to 10 years ago. We were camped in Benezette pa with our horses. Four or 5 times each year. In that o miles from where we were camping a guy was getting firewood for his campfire was bitten by a rattle snake .I understand he was with people that had no idea where a hospital was .. He died because of no one properly i was told. I do not know much more about it. I had camped in that general area for at least 20 years. In that time i had seen 3 rattle snakes . When getting wood out of a pile or stack you also NEEWD TO BE CAREFUL !!!

He was given anti venom, but he was extremely allergic to the venom from the rattlesnake and passed away. Just as some people are allergic to bee stings and must carry an epipen. And we all know how rude people are on Facebook saying the guy was probably drinking and it was all his fault. Alcohol had nothing to do with it.

 

[Gare]

He was given anti venom, but he was extremely allergic to the venom from the rattlesnake and passed away. Just as some people are allergic to bee stings and must carry an epipen. And we all know how rude people are on Facebook saying the guy was probably drinking and it was all his fault. Alcohol had nothing to do with it.

I was over there in a different camping place not far from where it happened. Someone over there told me he could not get to a hospital. They said he did not know where one was.. I did not know much about it. You seem to know a lot more then most. Thank you

 

[mtdoramike]

I the moral of this story is: when you are out metal detecting, be very Leary of your surroundings especially in wooded areas and wear snake boots if possible because swinging the coil will piss off the snake getting him ready so when you pass by BAM. Pigmy rattlers worry me more so than the bigger sankes because they kind of blend in and are smaller and harder to see.

 

[Gare]

Well Someone needs to invent SNAKE SLEVES also

 

[djackson7348]

Well Someone needs to invent SNAKE SLEVES also

Good old chainmail? 🤣

 

[DizzyDigger]

Snakes are not evil, but they sure can be dangerous if not respected.

Anytime you're in the woods, desert or brushy areas, keep your head
on a swivel...always look where you are either stepping or reaching into,
as snakes are known to be in the oddest places.

 

[Cutty]

I’m glad we don’t have them or any venomous snakes. The WI glacier eradicated them from central IL and they never returned. If you go south of the terminal moraine, which is 10 miles south of me, snake country starts. Timber, copperheads and cotton mouths are all there.

If you don't think those snakes have traveled 10 miles since the glacier days you better be right? I thank it would come out to about 12" of travel each year to make it ten miles by now! Someone check my math LOL

 

[RustyGold]

Always be on the look out for these easily overlooked critters. They’re everywhere here in the SoCal mountains and possibly the coastal wetlands.

 

[rginn]

I was going to point that out, some folks systems do not respond well to snake venom, so anti-venin, whatever measures you take are not much use. Young man I met at an event once here, kind of a special ed type young man (not meaning that derogatory at all) great kid to talk to, later on on the Front Range got bit by a rattler on the ankle. Saw it in the paper. Plenty of help right there, immediate medical response handy, but died pretty quick. Medical examiner said his system had an extreme response to the venom and there wasn't much could be done. No idea why he singled me out at that event, but just hung around, chattering away, and had me take some pics of him at the event and send them to his email. Bright spot in my day, hated to hear about it. That rattlesnake should have died instead of him.