Crib snake mom to sue mattress maker

BRENTWOOD, N.Y., June 11 (UPI) -- The mother of a New York infant found in her crib with a king snake coiled around her leg says she is suing the maker and seller of the baby's crib mattress.

Cari Abatemarco, the mother of 7-month-old Isabelle LaScala, is planning to sue mattress manufacturer Sealy and retailer Toys R Us in connection with the Long Island incident, her attorney told Newsday.

Abatemarco, of Troy, N.Y., was visiting her parents' home in Brentwood, N.Y., with her young daughter last week when she entered the girl's bedroom and found an exotic California king snake wrapped around Isabella's leg. The woman said the snake fell off when she lifted the child, and animal control officers were called to capture the reptile.

In the suit, Abatemarco claims the snake was hiding in the packing of the mattress, which had just been purchased at a local store, Newsday said. However, a local animal control expert told the newspaper it's more likely the snake was an escaped pet that entered the house to escape an extreme heat wave in New York.