What started as a normal summer afternoon outside a Tigerton home turned into every parent’s nightmare when a bat latched onto a 6-year-old girl’s leg and bit her, relatives and local officials say.
The girl, identified by family as Cecelia “Cece” Kale, was playing near a tree in front of her family’s house on Tuesday, June 23, when the bat attacked. The animal later tested positive for rabies, and Cece began the first of a four-shot rabies vaccine series. According to her family, she has been handling the appointments well.
County health department confirms rabid bat
In a June 25 release, the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department confirmed that a bat found in Shawano County tested positive for rabies, the county’s first confirmed rabid bat of the year. The department warned that rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear and urged residents to avoid contact with wild animals, keep bats out of living spaces, and contact public health if a bat is found indoors.
Family recounts the attack
Cece’s mother told USA Today that the bat wrapped its wings around her daughter’s leg before her sons jumped in to help. Her brothers managed to pull the animal off, and one of them later killed the bat so it could be tested.
The family said Cece began rabies post-exposure treatment on June 25 and that she has been responding well to the vaccine appointments.
Local health officer: act fast after a bite
Rabid bats may be rare, but health officials are clear that hesitation is not an option.
Nick Mau, health officer for the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department, told WBAY that anyone who may have been bitten should immediately wash the wound thoroughly and seek medical care. He said public health staff routinely follow up on animal bites to determine whether testing and post-exposure prophylaxis are needed.
Why quick treatment matters
Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis typically involves careful wound cleansing, human rabies immune globulin when indicated, and a four-dose vaccine schedule given on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. The World Health Organization and other experts report that when this regimen is started promptly, it is nearly 100% effective at preventing rabies-related deaths.
According to the county health department, Shawano and Menominee counties usually see about one confirmed rabid wild animal case a year. That low but persistent number is why officials keep repeating the basics: stay away from wild animals, keep pet vaccinations up to date, and report any bats found indoors. The county’s release also provides contact information for residents who have questions or need to report a potential exposure.
