Alert Child Spots Rattlesnake in California Preschool Playhouse

A preschool child in Saugus, in California’s Santa Clarita Valley, may have prevented a dangerous incident on Thursday afternoon by noticing a rattlesnake hiding inside a playhouse in the yard. The child alerted a teacher, and staff quickly moved the children away from the area before calling a local snake catcher.

The responder, Kerry Quashen, arrived at the kindergarten and carefully removed the rattlesnake from the playground. In video he posted, the snake can be seen coiled and rattling its tail before being safely captured and taken away. Quashen wrote, “Thank God, it all ended safely.”

No children or staff were hurt. The incident came during rattlesnake season in the Santa Clarita area, where experts say the first months of 2026 have already brought dozens of calls about venomous snakes, along with reports of dangerous bites.

After the scare, snake catchers and local officials reminded residents not to approach, scare, or try to trap a rattlesnake themselves. They said people should back away, keep children and pets clear, and call professionals. In this case, the difference between a fright and a disaster was one alert child who noticed a snake where no one expected one.