A six-year-old boy from Orlando, Florida, has passed away after contracting rabies after being scratched by an infected bat.
Ryker Roque passed away on Sunday after touching a bat which his father Henry found in their garden and placed in a bucket.
After accidentally scratching himself on the bat, Ryker’s parents cleaned his wound.
A week later the young boy’s fingers started to numb, he became unable to walk and began hallucinating, prompting his parents to take him to seek medical help.
Tests revealed that Ryker had rabies. The condition is almost always fatal once neurological symptoms begin to develop.
The family’s GoFundMe page states, ‘We are so sad to say that Ryker lost his fight last night. He is still a winner in our hearts.
‘Thank you all for the prayers, beautiful words and generous donations. It has really meant the world. Our little baby is now an angel.’
Our thoughts are with Ryker’s parents and family.