Texas pet shop worker 'killed by cobra bite'

Grant Thompson was found unconscious in his car

Grant Thompson (L) was alleged killed by a bite from a monocled cobra (R) (Facebook/WikimediaCommons)

An American pet shop worker has been found dead in his car from a suspected cobra bite.

Grant Thompson, 18, was pronounced dead at St David’s Round Rock Medical Centre in Austin, Texas on Tuesday night after being found unconscious in a car park near the Fish Bowl Pet Express where he worked in nearby Temple.

According to local news website, myFOXdc.com, paramedics said he had gone into cardiac arrest and had puncture wounds on his wrist.

The website said the man who called emergency services after spotting the teenager in the car had said: "Can I tell you something? He has bumper stickers that say I brake for snakes.

"I don't know if he was bitten or anything.”

Animal Control services later discovered a bullfrog, six tarantulas and one other non venomous snake inside the car, according to Sky News.

Police say a monocled cobra was missing from a cage inside Mr Thompson’s home and wasn’t found in the car.

According to a local news channel, KVue, the snake was later found dead not far from the car.

Monocled cobras, which are typically found in south-east Asia in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.

They use venom in their fangs to kill prey as they cannot hold them down. In humans the venom spreads rapidly in a human’s bloodstream, usually within 30 minutes, and causes respiratory failure.

The majority of deaths from cobra bites are in Thailand.

An autopsy will be carried out on Thursday.