Officials verified that a 5-year-old boy is recovering in the hospital following his attack on Sunday by a mountain lion at Malibu Creek State Park.
A family group from Woodland Hills was having a picnic at Tapia Park when the horrific incident occurred, according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It happened just before 4:30 p.m.
At least six adults were present at the family’s picnic location, where a number of youngsters were playing when the boy was attacked by a mountain lion who grabbed him by the head and fled.
“Somebody screamed the baby’s name, and his dad started running,” she stated. “The father grabbed the mountain lion with his hands, and he just fought. Then the mountain lion let go.”
About forty persons in the immediate area saw the deadly episode; some even reported that the big mountain lion attacked with apparent bravado and lack of fear.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies, CDFW officers, California State Park Rangers, and Los Angeles Fire and Rescue paramedics were among the first on the scene.
After receiving medical attention for his wounds at Northridge Hospital Medical Center via airlift, the young man was released late last night. Since then, the family has gone back to the hospital because of difficulties from the child’s eye injury.
Information on his current state was not readily available.
The lion was still up in the tree that witnesses saw it run to when State Park rangers and CDFW agents found it on Sunday.
“In consultation with CDFW wildlife officers, they deemed the mountain lion a threat to public safety and a ranger euthanized it via firearm,” the release stated.
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As is customary, wildlife officials made contact with the victim’s family at the hospital in order to get samples from the bite and scratch wounds as well as items belonging to the child as proof of the incident.
A Sacramento-based lab used for CDFW’s forensic testing discovered a match between the mountain lion’s DNA and the evidence gathered from the victim.
“CDFW and State Park officials are thankful that the family is safe, and the child is recovering and no one else was injured,” according to the release.
