A night out turned into a nightmare for one Virginia woman after an unexpected visitor dropped into her drink — literally.
Carletta Andrews says she is still traumatized after a snake fell from the ceiling into her margarita at Patron Mexican Restaurant and Cantina in Sandston, Henrico County. The bizarre incident happened on the evening of April 16, 2025, just after Andrews and her husband finished their meal.
“I leaned in to take a sip and I noticed something hit me in the forehead,” Andrews recalled during an exclusive interview with 8News Anchor Autumn Childress. “When I turned around, I saw the snake in my margarita.”
To make matters worse, Andrews said the snake — a baby — was alive and moving, even wrapping itself around her straw. Shaken and horrified, she watched as restaurant workers tried to remove the snake with a stick, but another customer ultimately grabbed it and released it outside.
“I kept saying please don’t let it go in my purse,” Andrews said. She left the restaurant trembling, saying the experience left her deeply shaken.
Although the restaurant offered to move her to a different table, Andrews said she wanted to leave immediately. Later that night, she shared a photo of the snake and a recount of the incident on social media, where the reactions poured in—ranging from shock to humor to disbelief.
One commenter wrote, “The way my soul would have left my body.” Another joked, “Girl, they would’ve been taking me to the King.”
Andrews said people are surprised she remained as calm as she did, but now she wants answers — and assurances that this won’t happen again.
8News reached out to the restaurant owner, who admitted the snake likely entered through the air conditioning system. When asked about new precautions to prevent another incident, the owner responded, “nothing.”
Health inspection records revealed that during a December 2024 routine inspection, Patron Mexican Restaurant and Cantina was cited for several violations, including mold, broken handles, missing ceiling tiles in the dish room, cracked floor tiles, and leaky ceiling tiles. Those violations were reportedly corrected during a follow-up inspection six days later.
Still, the incident has left Andrews — and many in the community — questioning the restaurant’s safety measures.
“If that was the baby — I fear… is the mom there?” Andrews said, voicing her continued concerns.
