California is facing an alarming rise in rattlesnake incidents and fatalities, and a resourceful toddler in the Santa Clarita Valley may have helped avert a disaster. The little one spotted a venomous snake in a playground structure and quickly alerted a teacher.
This close encounter unfolded around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at a preschool in the Saugus area of Santa Clarita. According to local rattlesnake expert Cary Quashen, a kindergartener’s swift action helped prevent any injuries.
School staff reached out to Quashen, who safely removed the rattlesnake before anyone was hurt.
In a video shared by Quashen, the snake is shown coiled near playground equipment and was captured using specialized gear.
“Thank God everything went well,” Quashen expressed in a social media post featuring the video.
Quashen, who operates a rattlesnake removal service along with a dog training program in the area, ensured the region was safe for the children before relocating the snake.
No injuries were reported from the incident.
However, this event occurs during a worrying year for rattlesnake encounters in California. In the first three months of 2026, there were 77 rattlesnake-related incidents reported, with three confirmed fatalities. This figure is significantly higher than the state’s typical annual average of zero to one death.
The medical director of the California Poison Control System, who specializes in herpetology, described the number of incidents this year as “very unusual and very concerning.”
Experts also noted that these initial figures are historically unprecedented for California.
Quashen is widely recognized as the unofficial “Santa Clarita Snake Charmer” due to his numerous videos documenting rattlesnake removals throughout the region.
If you happen to encounter a rattlesnake, it’s best to maintain a safe distance, refrain from attempting to touch it, and call a trained wildlife professional if removal is necessary.
