Kindergartners found playing with rabid bat outside school, Texas police say

Children found near a bat — some of them playing with it — may have been exposed to rabies, according to Texas police.

Around 15 kindergarten students at Lagos Elementary School in Manor were seen on surveillance footage “near or playing with” a bat that has tested positive for rabies, according to the Manor Police Department.

The children were “tossing it around, screaming and playing with it,” Manor Animal Control told KVUE.

The school is about 15 miles away from Austin.

There are no confirmed cases of any of the children contracting rabies, Sgt. Craig Struble said, according to NewsNation Now.

But the police department has encouraged parents to contact animal control or a health care provider if they are unsure if their child has been exposed.

“Exposure with infection, if left untreated, can be fatal,” the police department said. “If detected early, the virus is highly treatable.”

The school will be inspected “for any further signs of potentially harmful animals,” according to the Austin Statesman.