California teacher dies from bat bite in the classroom

December 4, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

A 60-year-old California teacher died of rabies a month after a bat bit her in the classroom.

Before children arrived in the classroom, Leah Seneng picked up and released a bat she found in the classroom. The art teacher then went on with her day at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos.

About a month later, Seneng ran a fever and her hands began shaking.

She was hospitalized on Nov. 18 and put in a medically induced coma. She died less than a week after going to the hospital.

Following Seneng’s death, the California Department of Public Health released a statement regarding the death and a warning about bats:

What should you do if you come in contact with a bat?    

If a bat – dead or alive – is found, CDPH urges residents to take the following precautions:

• Bites from bats are often imperceptible, or very minor as occurred in this case, yet are one of the most common sources of human rabies in the United States.
• Do not touch the bat; contact local animal control to remove or collect it. Keep pets and family members away from the area.
• If you touch a bat, wash the area with soap and water; if you are bitten, immediately contact your healthcare provider for additional guidance.
• Report the incident to your local health department.