Outdoor time at daycare is supposed to be simple: supervised play, safe equipment, and a controlled environment. Parents should be able to trust that when their child is outside, staff are watching closely and hazards are addressed before they become emergencies.
But that trust breaks down quickly when supervision becomes careless and outdoor safety is treated as an afterthought. In one case our team handled, a child was bitten by a venomous Copperhead snake during outdoor play at daycare. What should have been a routine part of the day turned into a hospital trip, anti-venom treatment, and an overnight stay for monitoring.
When “Outdoor Play” Isn’t Safe
Snake bites at daycare are not something most parents ever imagine. They also should not happen in an environment that is properly supervised and maintained. Daycare facilities have a responsibility to keep children away from foreseeable dangers, especially during outdoor play when risks increase.
Wildlife hazards, including snakes, become a serious concern when children are allowed to roam too close to fences, brush lines, or unsecured boundaries. These are areas where snakes can hide and where children can easily get hurt, even in just a few seconds.
A Slow Response Made a Dangerous Situation Worse
In this case, the child’s parents were initially notified that a snake bite had occurred, but the situation was not treated with the urgency it required. It was only later that the daycare identified the snake as a Copperhead, a venomous species that can cause severe injury and requires immediate medical care.
Once the child’s father understood the seriousness of what had happened, he rushed the child to the hospital. Due to the severity of the bite, the child had to be transferred for anti-venom treatment and remained under medical supervision overnight while doctors performed blood tests and monitored for complications.
Thankfully, one dose of anti-venom was enough, and the child began recovering. But no family should ever have to experience the fear of realizing their child’s safety was compromised during ordinary daycare hours.
What the Daycare Footage Showed
One of the most disturbing parts of this case came after the emergency, when the child’s mother reviewed video footage. The footage revealed a lack of attentive supervision at the moment the child wandered away from the group.
Instead of active monitoring, one teacher had turned away from the children while taking photos. During that time, the child moved toward a fence area away from the group. A child drifting from a play area is exactly the kind of moment that demands immediate adult intervention. It is also the kind of moment that can be missed when staff are distracted.
The footage also showed the child pulling their hand back from the fence area, consistent with the moment of the bite. When the situation was finally noticed, staff rushed in, but the response created an additional injury when the child’s head struck the fence.
This is a common pattern in daycare injury cases: lack of supervision leads to an incident, and then a rushed, uncoordinated reaction causes even more harm.
The Safety Failures This Case Reveals
This case was not simply “bad luck.” It reflected multiple preventable failures, including:
- Lack of close supervision during outdoor play
- Children having access to unsafe outdoor boundaries
- Delayed recognition of a serious medical emergency
- A chaotic response that caused additional injury
- Insufficient safety protocols for outdoor hazards
When the minimum standards are not enforced, children are placed in danger that adults could have prevented.
Why Accountability Matters in Daycare Injury Cases
After an event like this, parents are left with more than a medical bill. They are left with questions about what was happening, why it was allowed, and whether the daycare is capable of keeping children safe going forward.
Holding a daycare accountable is not just about one family. It is about pushing facilities to change unsafe practices and ensuring that other children are not placed at the same risk.
Children deserve attentive care. Parents deserve transparency. And daycares must be expected to take safety seriously, especially when the consequences can be life-threatening.
Contact The Button Law Firm
If your child has been injured or placed in danger at daycare, The Button Law Firm is here to listen and help you understand what steps you can take next.
Call (214) 699-4409, email intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out our contact form to share your story.
If you are not ready to reach out yet, our website includes free resources and guides designed to help families navigate these situations.
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