Brother saves 6-year-old girl from rabid bat attack with makeshift sword

TIGERTON, Wis. (WBAY/Gray News) - A 6-year-old in Wisconsin is receiving treatment after she was bitten by a rabid bat Tuesday.

Her brother had come to her rescue, killing the bat with a makeshift sword.

Cece Kale was in a tree in front of her home in Tigerton when she was bitten. The bat had wrapped its wings around the 6-year-old’s leg as she cried for help.

“I just tried to scream and scream and scream until they (her family) came,” Cece said.

After hearing her cries, her family rushed out to see what was wrong.

“It’s like she was trying to scream, but nothing was coming out. So, she finally just, ‘There’s a bat!’” Cece’s mother, Elizabeth Kale, said.

Cece’s brothers got the animal off Cece, and her brother Niklas eventually killed the bat with his makeshift sword.

“But like I’ve been saying, first you’ve got to learn to use this,” Niklas said, pointing to his head. “Then you learn to use this,” he said, lifting up his sword.

That bat was confirmed to have rabies Thursday afternoon, and Cece received the first of a series of four rabies shots that day.

This was one of the first rabid bats seen in the county for at least a year.

Elizabeth said she’s disgusted by the incident and that she’s thankful they didn’t wait too long.

“I think when you realize that your child probably has an ancient, old virus that’s 100% fatal, probably in her body. I mean, it’s, it’s terrifying. You know, you have all the thoughts run through your head of like, ‘What if I bury my child?’” Elizabeth said.

Nick Mau, a health officer for the Shawano-Menominee County Health Department, said that rabid bats aren’t very common, but that it’s important to stay away from wild animals and be careful if bitten.

“Make sure we’re cleaning the affected area with soap and water and then calling your doctor or the emergency room right away,” Mau said.

Rabies can be deadly, especially if the person who was exposed is unaware or unable to get treatment before symptoms appear.