Child Airlifted to Hospital After Father Fights Off Mountain Lion During Family Picnic
On Sunday, a five-year-old boy was attacked by a mountain lion while he was with his family at Malibu Creek State Park on Sunday according to reports from a state agency and KTLA News.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) press release, the boy was attacked at around 4:30 p.m. as his family was having a picnic at Tapia Park. A mountain lion came out of the trees, and the boy was grabbed by the mountain lion by the head. The animal attempted to drag the child away while his terrified family members and several other children looked on in horror.
The boy’s aunt, who spoke to KTLA anonymously, recounted the harrowing moment. “Somebody screamed the baby’s name, and his dad started running,” she said. “The father grabbed the mountain lion with his hands and fought it off. Then the mountain lion let go.”
Approximately 40 people witnessed the attack, and some of the witnesses said that the mountain lion showed no fear of anyone. Responders from California State Park Rangers, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, CDFW officers, and Los Angeles Fire and Rescue arrived soon after the incident.
The boy was airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center for treatment and was released later that evening. However, this child was returned to the hospital because of complications having to do with his facial wounds to his eyes.
Authorities located the mountain lion in a nearby tree, where it had retreated after the attack. After consulting with CDFW wildlife officers and conducting tests to confirm the attack, a state park ranger deemed the mountain lion a public safety threat and euthanized it.The CDFW press release said, “CDFW and State Park officials are thankful that the family is safe, the child is recovering, and no one else was injured.”
