Viral: Florida woman let rat snake bite her baby to teach her about wildlife

A Florida mother is defending her decision to let a red rat snake bite her baby, according to media reports in the area.

The woman, has not been charged with anything and her name has not been released, according to ABC Action News in Tampa Bay. She reportedly found the snake in the driveway of her family’s home. The WFTS online story and video have been reported by other media and shared repeatedly.

The snake had bitten the woman and her son multiple times with out leaving a mark, so she thought it was a good opportunity to introduce the animal to her 1-year-old daughter without her getting hurt, she told the news station.

A video of the incident obtained by ABC Action News appears to show a plastic container holding the snake being held out to the 1-year-old girl. The girl appears to reach out to the snake before being bitten.

The woman posted video of what happened on Facebook, drawing backlash, according to the news station. The video has since been deleted.

The woman and her family live on a 9-acre farm and she said it’s important for the children to know how to handle wildlife, according to ABC Action News. She also told the news station that her daughter was not hurt.

ABC Action News confirmed with Highlands County Sheriff’s Office that the incident is being investigated.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Viral: Florida woman let rat snake bite her baby to teach her about wildlife."