Who is Monet Robinson? Amazon woman driver 'serious' after getting bitten by a rattlesnake during package delivery
PALM COUNTY FLORIDA: Monet Robinson, a 21-year-old Florida woman and an Amazon driver, is battling for her life after she was bitten by a rattlesnake while dropping a delivery package.
Robinson was at the doorstep of a Palm County City home where an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake was coiled up but wasn't noticed.
The rattlesnake bit Monet Robinson on the back of her leg
Martin County Sheriff's Office said the snake jumped out as she "walked to the door and put the package down."
The snake bit her on the back of her leg above her knee. The Sheriff's Office said, "She immediately became ill and called 911."
"It looks like black and yellow and it's making a lot of noise, a big rattle," Robinson was heard saying in the phone call.
The dispatchers pinpointed the driver's exact location by tracking her cell phone's GPS coordinates and rushed to help.
She told investigators she had not seen the snake when she was attacked.
How is Monet Robinson?
When police arrived, Robinson had already collapsed on the ground, according to Daily Mail.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office, at the time of the news release, stated she was transported to the hospital "where she is in very serious condition."
The sheriff's office noted, "Easter Diamondbacks are highly venomous snakes and are very common in this area."
How common are snake bites in Florida?
Amy Kight, an executive director at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, told WPBF that "Rattlesnakes are common in South Florida, but rattlesnakes' bites are not."
She said she was shocked by the incident but explained that the snake may have reacted to what seemed a threat.
"When the hand came out, and the package came down, the snake just thought it was protecting itself," Kight said.
She added, "The poor Amazon driver just stood no chance."
She also said that Robinson acted "calm' which may have helped her save her life as it didn't let venom spread in her body.
Branden Baribeau, an Amazon spokesman, said that drivers should make sure they understand "they should not complete a delivery if they feel unsafe."
Baribeau said, the company is looking into the incident and that, their "thoughts are with the driver and we hope for a full recovery after this frightening incident."
As per the spokesman, Robinson is a part of the delivery service partner program which is an independent business that hires drivers to deliver on behalf of Amazon.
How fatal are Eastern Diamondbacks?
The Eastern Diamondback snake's venom can prove fatal in 10 to 20 per cent of cases if not treated.
They are the biggest and deadliest rattlesnakes in North America and can be up to seven feet long, however, generally are four feet long.
They also have very long fangs that inject a lot of venom. Their venom can kill people in a short time if they don’t get medical help.
"It all depends on how much venom is dumped in," said sheriff's office Capt Rusy Shaw to WPBF. "If it's the full dose, it's going to be a pretty quick reaction," Shaw added.
