Tennessee couple finds copperhead snake curled up in baby wagon

GREENBRIER, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Middle Tennessee couple is rattled after finding a venomous snake inside their infant's wagon last week.

Autumn and Tyler Maidlow live in Greenbrier. Autumn says they store their child's wagon inside the garage.

"My husband went for a walk with our baby in the wagon and left the garage open," Maidlow told FOX 17 News.

"I got home with groceries and he put the wagon in the garage and we took our baby out. We brought in our groceries and ate dinner, which took about 30 minutes."

Once the family finished eating dinner Friday night, Maidlow asked her husband to put something in the car.

"He walked past the wagon and when he walked back in, he noticed the snake on the ledge of the wagon and right when he looked at it, it struck at him and he jumped back and hit my car."

The couple was terrified, but also thankful they were able to spot the copperhead before the next walk with their baby. Tyler was able to safely remove the snake from the wagon – Autumn says her husband later killed it with a shovel.

According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), copperheads can measure up to three feet in length and have a distinctive dark brown hourglass crossband. On the bright side, TWRA says copperhead venom is not very potent so fatalities are rare.

TWRA adds the snakes "generally prefers forested habitat and avoids open areas such as pastures and agricultural fields. Often found on rocky, wooded hillsides with abundant logs, leaf litter, or rocks for cover. Copperheads can also be found in urban and suburban environments, as well as near wetland and stream edges."

Autumn is using the experience to warn other parents.

"Keep your garage door closed, don’t keep blankets, toys or anything that would obstruct your view in anything your child goes in, keep garage clear and clean, and pay attention to your surroundings!"

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