Family picnic at Los Angeles park takes a terrifying turn when mountain lion attacks child

By Chris Boyette, CNN

A mountain lion attacked a 5-year-old boy during a family picnic over the holiday weekend in Los Angeles County, according to state wildlife officials.

A family of at least six adults and a few children were having a picnic Sunday in the Tapia Park picnic area within Malibu Creek State Park just before 4:30 p.m. when a mountain lion attacked the boy as the children played by the picnic table, according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“One or more adults charged at the lion, and it released the boy,” according to the statement.

A woman who told local news channel KTLA she is the boy’s aunt, but didn’t want her name used, told the station the boy’s father confronted the mountain lion.

“Somebody screamed the baby’s name, and his dad started running,” she said. “The father grabbed the mountain lion with his hands, and he just fought. Then the mountain lion let go.”

The boy was airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center for treatment and was released Monday morning, state wildlife officials said. He suffered significant but non-life-threatening injuries, according to the officials.

Authorities responding to the scene were able to locate the mountain lion up a nearby tree where it fled after the attack, wildlife officials said.

California State Parks rangers and state wildlife officers “deemed the mountain lion a threat to public safety and a ranger euthanized it via firearm,” the state wildlife agency said.

Before the animal was euthanized, the rangers and officers determined that “the mountain lion was still sticking around, looking to potentially engage with humans again,” California State Parks Superintendent Richard Fink told CNN affiliate KCAL.

Including Sunday’s incident, the state wildlife agency has documented 25 mountain lion attacks in California since 1986 — four of which were fatal.

Mountain lions, also known as pumas, cougars and panthers, are “specially protected” species in California, and population estimates statewide are considered stable, according to the state wildlife agency.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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