Woman fatally bitten by snake in church

updated 1:59 a.m. ET Nov. 8, 2006

LONDON, Ky. - A woman who was bitten by a snake at a church that neighbors say practices serpent-handling died of her wounds hours later, a newspaper reported.

Linda Long, 48, was bitten Sunday at East London Holiness Church, where neighbors said the reptiles are handled as part of religious services, The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Tuesday.

Long died at University of Kentucky Medical Center about four hours after being bitten, authorities told the newspaper.

"She said she was bitten by a snake at her church," said Lt. Ed Sizemore of the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.

Handling reptiles as part of religious services is illegal in Kentucky. Snake handling is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $50 to $100 fine.

Police said they had not received any reports of snake handling at the church.

Snake handling is based on a passage in the Bible that says a sign of a true believer is the power to "take up serpents" without being harmed.

Church officials could not be reached for comment.

MORE FROM LIFE

Life Section Front

Former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite dies Biker gang is shut out of desert city Happy birthday Woodstock baby, if you exist Obama seeks cost cuts in health plan House sides with wild horses, burros Hurricane preparations factor in recession Reporter recalls covering JFK Jr. tragedy Life Section Front   Add Life headlines to your news reader: