FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A friend of the woman who died from a rabies bite in Merced County said the bite happened inside her friend's Dos Palos classroom.  Laura Splotch said 60-year-old Leah Seneng was an art teacher at Bryant Middle School. Splotch said Seneng was bit by a bat back on Oct. 14, before she died in late November.  "It was scary, she was hooked up to a lot of machines, and her blood pressure was going down slowly," she said, recalling some of the last moments she spent with her friend inside a Fresno County hospital.  Seneng died on Nov. 22 multiple weeks after she reported getting bit by the bat.  "She came into her classroom first thing in the morning and found a bat lying on the floor," she said. "She picked it up and took it outside, doing what she thought was a nice thing for it, and it turned and bit her and she didn't think anything of it." She said her friend went days without symptoms and didn't think she needed treatment after getting bit. But that changed in November when Splotch said Seneng started having shaky hands and began running a fever.  Eventually, she went to the hospital. Splotch said she spent five days there and spent her last days before passing away in a coma.  "She'd worked out there for seven years. She loved her students. She loved her classroom. She loved being a teacher," Splotch said. The Dos Palos Ora Loma Joint Unified School District released a statement regarding the incident, which reads: We were saddened to learn of the passing of Leah Seneng, a long time teacher in our district.  She was a dedicated and compassionate educator and her absence will be profoundly felt by her students, her colleagues, and the entire Dos Palos School District community. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.   We live and work in a community known to have bats and other wildlife around school grounds, and we will continue to help educate our community regarding the dangers associated with coming into direct contact with any wild animal, including bats. District staff are trained to handle situations with wild animals, including bats, and we urge everyone to report any sightings to school administrators so they can take appropriate measures. We are committed to providing a safe, healthy and secure learning and working environment for our students and staff and our focus is on supporting our students and staff during this difficult time. Today is our second day of school following the week-long Thanksgiving break, and counselors have been made available to support students and staff at the school. Dos Palos Ora Loma Joint Unified School District. Splotch now warns anyone bit by an animal to get treated right away, even if death through rabies is rare. "She didn't want her kids to be exposed to it. I guess that was something, she protected her kids. And just make sure you get tested," Splotch said.  Seneng leaves behind a daughter who she loved very much. Splotch has set up a GoFundMe to help with this difficult time and cover funeral expenses as her death was unexpected.  To donate, click here.