A 6-year-old Wisconsin girl is recovering after a rabid bat suddenly latched onto her leg while she was climbing a tree outside her family’s home.
Cecilia “Cece” Kale was playing outdoors in Tigerton last week when the bat sank its teeth into her left thigh and refused to let go.
Her terrified brothers, 11-year-old Nicklas and 16-year-old Camden, rushed to save her and managed to pull the animal away.
Nicklas then killed the bat using a homemade sword, according to the children’s mother, Elizabeth Kale.
The family later received alarming news when testing confirmed that the bat was infected with rabies, a deadly virus that attacks the nervous system.
Kale said doctors and county health officials carefully explained the danger to the family and stressed that immediate treatment was necessary.
Although the family opposes mandated immunizations, they agreed to begin lifesaving rabies treatment for Cece within 48 hours of the attack.
Rabies is considered nearly 100 percent fatal once symptoms begin, but prompt post-exposure shots are highly effective at preventing the disease.
Cece is now recovering and has apparently refused to let the frightening encounter destroy her love of the outdoors.
“She’s just so brave and has a stronger constitution than the rest of us,” her mother said.
