Woman Bit by Rattlesnake While Gardening in Stevenson Ranch Faces Near-Fatal Bite

Linda Martin stepped outside to water her roses without shoes when a rattlesnake sank its fangs into her toes, delivering venom that quickly produced tingling in her fingertips, jaw and tongue. Repeated 911 calls failed to connect, prompting her husband to take her to the nearest hospital, where she was administered antivenom after a ten-minute drive. Martin survived the encounter and now plans to wear protective boots when gardening.

Health officials say California is seeing a surge in rattlesnake bite reports, with 250 calls in the first half of 2026 and a projected 20% rise compared with last year. Lee Cantrell of the California Poison Control System attributes the increase to an early warm spring that may have awakened snakes sooner. Three venomous-snake deaths have been recorded in the state so far this year.