Child Spots Rattlesnake in California Daycare Yard, Averting Possible Disaster

A child at a preschool in Saugus, in California’s Santa Clarita Valley, spotted a rattlesnake hiding inside a playhouse just before children were set to go outside on Thursday afternoon. The child alerted a teacher, and staff quickly moved the children away from the area and called local snake catcher Carey Quashen.

When Quashen arrived, he found the rattlesnake and safely removed it from the yard. In video he posted, the snake can be seen alert and rattling its tail before being captured. Quashen wrote alongside the footage, “Thank God, everything ended safely.”

No children or staff were injured. The incident came during rattlesnake season in the Santa Clarita area, where state experts say dozens of calls involving venomous snakes have already been reported in the first months of 2026, along with dangerous bite incidents.

After the scare, snake catchers and local authorities reminded residents not to approach rattlesnakes, try to scare them away, or catch them on their own. Instead, they advised people to keep their distance, move children and pets away, and call professionals. In this case, one alert child likely prevented a serious accident.