What we know about the California teacher who died after a bat attack

• Leah Seneng, a teacher at Bryant Middle School, died Nov. 22, a month after she was bitten by a bat in her classroom
• The Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District tells PEOPLE that Seneng was a “dedicated and compassionate educator.”
• “She loved exploring the world,” said Laura Splotch, a friend who started a GoFundMe on behalf of Seneng’s family

A California middle school teacher who died a month after being bitten by a bat in a classroom was remembered by friends and colleagues as a “dedicated” and “lover of life.”

Leah Seneng, 60, an art teacher who taught at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, encountered the animal on her classroom floor early in the morning in October before her students arrived, her friend Laura Splotch told CNN.

“She picked it up and took it outside,” Splotch said. “I guess it bit her, or maybe she thought it scratched her or something, and then it went off. It flew away and she didn’t think anything of it, didn’t think it was sick or anything.”

“So she picked it up from the classroom and then just went about her day and told her daughter about it,” Splotch continued.

Splotch told ABC affiliate KFSN that Seneng initially showed no symptoms after the bite. But then Seneng fell ill and was hospitalized on November 18 and put into a coma. Four days later, Seneng died, KFSN and The Fresno Bee reported.

Dr. Andrew Schwab, the superintendent of the Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District, told PEOPLE on Dec. 4 that Seneng “was a dedicated and compassionate educator and her absence will be deeply felt by her students, her colleagues and everyone. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Splotch, Seneng’s friend for 15 years, described the late teacher as friendly and an art lover.

“She loved life,” Splotch told KFSN. “She spent a lot of time in the mountains where her mother lived. She loved exploring the world, she’s a great explorer.”

According to Splotch, Seneng, who leaves behind a husband and daughter, enjoyed her summer vacation, which included a trip to Bali, NBC News reported.

The friend started a GoFundMe on behalf of Seneng’s family. As of the afternoon of December 4th, the fundraiser has raised over $7,000.

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Seneng’s death is the first rabies-related death in Fresno County in 32 years, ABC affiliate KABC reported. The Fresno County Health Department said there was no threat to the public, according to the report.

A spokesperson for the Merced County Department of Public Health tells PEOPLE that the case remains under investigation and that the department is notifying close contacts and family members and offering preventative care.

The spokesperson adds that the department cannot comment further until the investigation is complete.

Meanwhile, Schwab tells PEOPLE that the county, which is working with the Merced County Department of Public Health in its investigation, was stunned to learn that Seneng’s death was linked to her contracting rabies.

“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 about the dangers associated with direct contact with wildlife, including bats “, are connected,” he says.

Schwab added, “District staff are trained to deal with wildlife, including bats, and we urge everyone to report sightings to school administrators so they can take appropriate action.”