Young Girl Kills Tommy Goff
Tonight 12 year old Latisha Gonzalez of Cotton Tree Village -is lucky to be alive - after she and her family claim she was bitten by one of the world's deadliest snakes: a fer de lance snake which is known locally as the yellow jawed or Tommy Goff.
Now, we know that the byte from a Tommy Goff can cause death, but on Wednesday evening Gonzalez fought back. She says she was walking home and was bitten twice by the snake, which is when she picked up a stick and killed it, then took it home.
Now, we could not see the snake, because it is long gone but her family - which has some experience in such matters confirm that it was a Tommy Goff. Gonzalez was rushed to the Belmopan hospital and today 5 days after her incident, she told 7news what happened.
Latisha Gonzalez - Bitten By Snake
"My aunt asked me to paint, and I went to help her. Her little son was out here on the street. She sent me to go get him, and I was walking in the middle of the road. I didn't the snake, and I just stepped on it. It bit me. My aunt's little son was coming close by the snake, and I warned him not to come closer. I grabbed a stick and hit it about 10 times. My brother came, picked up the dead snake with a stick, and showed my aunt. My aunt told us to get to safety because that snake is a dangerous one. My mother and a friend took me to the hospital."
Monica Bodden
"So now, I understand that it was a yellow-jawed 'tommy goff' which bit you. Did you feel any sickness or weakness after?"
Latisha Gonzalez
"No, ma'am, and I wasn't really scared. I wasn't really sure what type of snake bit me."
The fer de lance is considered especially dangerous because its bite causes hemorrhaging. It is the most dangerous snake in Central America.
Channel 7
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