It was a snakebite.

David Riston died of “accidental snake envenomation” in January 2022, per a Maryland coroner’s post-mortem. Riston lived in Pomfret, Maryland and was 49 years previous.

Maryland police approached Riston’s residence on January 19, 2022 for a welfare examine after being tipped off by a neighbor. The neighbor seen they hadn’t seen Riston in over a day however noticed somebody slumped over on the ground once they peered by way of a window.

Upon getting into the house, the police discovered over 100 snakes in cages surrounding the person, later recognized as Riston. Some of the snakes in Riston’s possession had been venomous, although it’s unlawful to personal venomous pets in Maryland. The assortment included rattlesnakes, cobras, black mambas, and a 14-foot Burmese python. The snakes had been faraway from Riston’s residence by Charles County Animal Control with approval from his mom. NBC Washington reports that the venomous snakes had been dropped at North Carolina whereas the venomous ones had been transported to Virginia. In all, there have been 124 reptiles in the home, the biggest assortment native Animal Control inspectors had ever seen. 

Riston’s neighbors had been blissfully unaware of his reptilian interest, however Animal Control spokesperson Jennifer Harris stated the snakes had been “meticulously cared for” by Riston. How cute.

Why did it take months to find a reason behind demise seemingly so apparent it might chew you?

The Maryland Department of Health isn’t at present capable of reply that. A spokesperson stated: “We can confirm that the cause of death for David Riston is snake envenomation, and the manner of death is accidental. We do not have any further information to share at this time.”

According to the World Health Organization, between 4.5 and 5.4 million individuals are bitten by snakes yearly, and 81,000 to 138,000 die from issues.