A Colorado man has died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster in what would be a rare death by one of the desert lizards if the creature’s venom turns out to have been the cause.
Christopher Ward, 34, was taken to a hospital shortly after being bitten by one of his two pet Gila monsters on Feb. 12. He was soon placed on life support and died Friday, Lakewood Police Department spokesman John Romero said Tuesday.
Jefferson County coroner’s officials declined Tuesday to comment on the death, including if tests showed yet whether Ward died from the pet’s venom or from some other medical condition.
Ward’s girlfriend handed over the lizard named Winston and another named Potato to Lakewood animal control officer Leesha Crookston and other officers the day after the bite.
Ward’s girlfriend told police she had heard something that “didn’t sound right” and entered a room to see Winston latched onto Ward’s hand, according to Crookston’s report.
She told officers Ward “immediately began exhibiting symptoms, vomiting several times and eventually passing out and ceasing to breathe,” according to the report.
Ward was placed on life support in a hospital. Within days, doctors had declared him brain dead.
Read more at NPR.org
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