After neighbors called 911, authorities in Maryland found a man dead in his home from an apparent snakebite. Upon further investigation, they discovered the shocking reason the man perished.
Authorities find man dead inside his home
In Charles County, Maryland, police were summoned by neighbors who called 911 to conduct a welfare check on a man last seen inside his home.
Deputies and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel forced their way into the home and found the 49-year-old man unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, according to CBS Baltimore.
The cause of death wasn’t immediately apparent. But a subsequent investigation of the home would give authorities a shocking clue.
Shocking finding inside the home
Upon inspection, authorities found racks of snakes – over 100 in all – of both venomous and non-venomous varieties. According to officials, the longest snake authorities found inside the house was a 14-foot Burmese python.
Neighbors were unaware the man had been harboring reptiles in the home.
The type of snakes included rattlesnakes, cobras, pythons, and black mambas. King cobras are the largest and longest venomous snake, and black mambas are the second-longest, with both being highly venomous.
Non-venomous snakes are legal to possess in Maryland – but possession of venomous snakes is illegal.
In the final count, authorities determined there were 124 snakes in the home, NBC reported.
Cause of death confirmed as accidental
Initially, officials downplayed the idea that the man could have died from a snakebite. However, after the investigation and medical examination, the authorities determined the man had not died from foul play but rather an accidental cause: Snakebite.
The cause of death is snake envenomation and the manner of death is an accident,” a spokesperson from the chief medical examiner’s office confirmed.
Reptiles taken good care of, animal control reports
Animal control was called to the scene. Representatives told Fox 5 that they were taking good care of the reptiles. The man had secured them properly and kept the temperatures and humidity in their enclosures as close as possible to the natural habitat of each reptile.
Quantity of snakes required outside help
Because of the large quantity of snakes, at more than 100, animal control officials in Maryland recruited assistance from other reptile experts in Virginia and North Carolina to contain and remove all of the snakes.
