Mom digging through toys finds bat in a bag and it was rabid, Florida cops say

A dead bat was found under truly odd circumstances in a Florida home, and tests revealed it was also rabid, according to investigators.

The dangerous discovery was made Wednesday, Nov. 27, at a home on Palm Drive West in Lakeland, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a Dec. 3 news release.

“A woman ... found a dead bat in a bag among her children’s toys,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

“Animal Control officers responded and collected the bat, and initiated a rabies investigation. The bat was sent to the State Laboratory in Tampa, where it tested positive for rabies.”

Rabies is a viral disease that is almost always fatal if left untreated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is spread through bodily fluids via bites and scratches from an infected animal.

It’s not yet clear how the bat ended up in a bag, or how that bag ended up in a pile of toys.

The woman reported finding the bag “after her house cleaner cleaned the bathroom,” but it’s not clear if there is connection, officials said.

“The Florida Department of Health in Polk County is handling the treatment of the owner for his rabies exposure,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in the release. “Luckily this family’s pet is vaccinated against this dangerous disease.”

It’s the fifth time this year an animal has tested positive for rabies in Polk County, officials said.

On average, 60,000 Americans are treated for contact with rabies infected animals each year, the CDC says.

Lakeland is about a 35-mile drive northeast from Tampa.

This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 4:41 AM with the headline "Mom digging through toys finds bat in a bag and it was rabid, Florida cops say."