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Cheerleader Bit By Copperhead Snake While Practicing Routines In Backyard

HOUSTON, Texas. (CBS Local) -- A Texas high school cheerleader who was using her time away from school during the coronavirus pandemic to brush-up on her skills was bitten by a venomous Copperhead snake and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Paris Montgomery of Huffman said she was in her backyard recording video of herself showing off some moves last week when she thought she stepped on a stick. Much to her surprise, a snake bit her right foot.

"Something just started hurting," she told KTRK. "I didn't know it was a snake."

"I did not have snake on my mind, so I was thinking, 'Maybe a bee stung her,'" said Paris' mom, Tracy. "So, I put some baking soda on it. Well then, it started swelling up and turning purple and we rushed her to the hospital."

Doctors at Texas Children's Hospital in The Woodlands prescribed four doses of anti-venom administered through an IV.

Montgomery had no idea what happened until she got to the hospital and took the time to look back at the video.

"When we were trying to tell the doctor what happened, she said, 'I have it on video' and that's when we zoomed it in and saw it was a snakebite. Even when she saw it, she said 'there's no way a snake bit me and I didn't know it', and I'm like, it's on video," Tracy told KRIV.

The high school junior says she will now make sure to check the ground before she practices her cheer routines.

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