SAN FRANCISCO (AP), A mountain lion attacked a 5-year old boy in Southern California and dragged him across his front yard. Authorities said that a wildlife officer shot and killed the animal.
Capt. Patrick Foy, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Foy stated that the boy sustained significant injuries to his head, upper torso and head but was stable at a Los Angeles hospital.
Foy stated that Foy's mom is the true hero in this story. She saved her son's life. When she heard the commotion outside, Foy said that her mother was at home.
He said that she ran out of her house and began to punch and strike the mountain lion with all her bare hands.
The boy's parents drove him to the hospital immediately. Law enforcement was notified and dispatched a wildlife officer.
Foy stated that he found a mountain lion in the bushes, crouching with its ears back, and hissing at Foy once he arrived at the house.
The warden believed that it was the attacking lion because of its behavior and close proximity to it. He shot it and took it to safety. Saturday's statement from the wildlife department stated that the warden had killed the animal.
The statement stated that DNA tests later confirmed that the lion was responsible for the attack on the child.
After being tranquilized, another mountain lion was spotted in the vicinity. It was then released unharmed into the wild after it was tested to make sure it wasn't involved in the attack.
