African schoolgirl dies less than 30 minutes after being bitten by black mamba in class: report
Melody Chiputura, 17, was bitten by the snake on the thigh as she sat in class
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A schoolgirl in Africa reportedly died within 30 minutes of being bitten by one of the world’s most venomous snakes.
Melody Chiputura, 17, was bitten by a black mamba in her Rushinga High School classroom in Zimbabwe after the snake lunged at her thigh, The Herald-Zimbabwe reported.
"The learners discovered the snake and everyone panicked, with some jumping out through windows," teacher Christopher Murenga told the outlet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chiputura was rushed to the hospital but died before she arrived less than 30 minutes after being bitten by the snake.
A black mamba (Andrea Innocenti/Reda and Co/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
"When we arrived at the clinic it was too late," Chiputura’s father told the outlet. "This is hard to accept and it is painful. I don't understand how a snake can get into a classroom and bite my daughter."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Students and other locals killed the snake shortly after the attack.
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An employee at the Latoxan SAS laboratory holds a black mamba before extracting the snake's venom in Valence, France, on Oct. 17, 2012. The company specializes in the production of high quality venoms and toxins for research and leading pharmaceutical companies. (Balint Porneczi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It remains unclear how the snake got into the classroom but it is not uncommon for snakes to make their way into buildings on warm days.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The highly venomous black mamba can grow up to 14 feet and is considered one of the world’s fastest and most venomous snakes.
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The black mamba is brownish but it gets its name from the bluish-black shade inside its mouth, which it opens widely when it feels threatened. They’re native to the savannas of Africa.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report