2-year-old girl attacked by coyote in Orange County, California
A coyote attacked a 2-year-old girl in a park in Orange County, California, police said Friday. The child, who was not identified, is recovering from her injuries.
The child was in Mile Square Park in the city of Fountain Valley when she was attacked around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Fountain Valley Police Department said in a statement.
A DNA sample from the child's clothing confirmed it was a coyote — and it was trapped by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). In a statement released earlier this week, police said the attack wasn't immediately reported and authorities were working to find and euthanize the animal.
"The community is encouraged to continue to haze coyotes and keep small children and pets under close supervision," police said.
Authorities are no longer investigating the incident.
Coyote attacks have been an issue in Orange County. On April 29, another 2-year-old girl was also attacked by a coyote on a beach in the city of Huntington Beach. Responding police officers then shot and killed two coyotes in the area, and CDFW biologists used DNA samples to confirm that one of those two coyotes had attacked the girl.
She suffered serious injuries, but survived.