Police say a 2-foot-long ball python slithered its way into an Illinois apartment and wrapped itself around the foot of a sleeping 1-year-old boy and bit him on his left foot.
Mattoon Police Department Deputy Chief Jason Taylor said the boy’s parents were awakened by the child’s noises to find the snake attacking their son about 11 p.m. Monday, the Mattoon Journal-Gazette & Times-Courier reported.
The father, Devin Winans, used a blanket to pull the python off the child, and his mother took the boy to a health center for treatment of a bite mark, bruise and scratches, the newspaper reported.
“It was definitely something we never thought of happening. It was definitely really scary,” the child’s mother, Sara Lacey told the newspaper.
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She said it was the first time she has seen the python and the apartment building is supposed to be pet-free.
Investigators believe the python escaped from a neighboring apartment within the building, Taylor said. Police have not been able to find the owner.
He said the snake’s owner could face charges for having an animal at large, according to the newspaper.
The snake is being held at the Coles County animal shelter.
