When a 47-year-old man was bitten by an eastern brown snake while attempting to remove it from a daycare facility close to Townsville, his wife made a valiant attempt to save him.
Father, husband, and grandfather Jeremy Brookes passed away yesterday afternoon following three bites to his arm from the poisonous snake.
Although Brookes lacked a licence to trap snakes, a relative called and begged him to assist in getting the snake off the childcare center’s property.
On his left arm, thrice.
Brookes chose to drive home instead of dialling triple zero.
According to a Queensland Ambulance Services spokesman, his wife immobilised his arm by bandaging the bites.
The poison took hold, and Brookes went into cardiac arrest.
He was taken by paramedics to Townsville University Hospital, where he passed away that evening, after his wife and other paramedics did CPR on him.
Expert snake catchers have cautioned that only qualified and certified specialists should ever handle snakes.
Ben Avery, a snake catcher, advised against disturbing an eastern brown snake.
“Just do not touch it, call a licenced professional snake catcher,” advised the man.
“Neurotoxic venom, they are going to start affecting your muscles, your heart, and every single organ” .
The second-most venomous snake in the world is the eastern brown.
This year, Brookes became the first Australian to pass away from a snake bite. The coroner will now be consulted on his death.
