Mom to the rescue! A brave Colorado mother fought off a mountain lion that attacked her 5-year-old son in the front yard of their Pitkin County home on Friday, June 17.
The unidentified boy was playing outside with his older brother when his mom, who was inside their house, heard him screaming. She ran outside, where she saw the mountain lion on top of her son and “was able to physically remove her son from the mountain lion,” according to a Friday press release from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.
The 5-year-old boy suffered face, head and neck injuries, but is now in “fair condition” at the Aspen Valley Hospital, according to the release. The boy’s mother was also hospitalized with minor injuries to her hand and legs and was released shortly after.
Police deputies and a law enforcement officer from the U.S. Forest Service responded to the area following a 911 call from the boy’s father. They were able to locate and kill the animal believed to be responsible for the attack.
According to ABC News, the mountain lion was 2 years old and had previously been spotted in the area. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are also tracking a second lion, which they plan to kill when they find.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife website says that mountain lion attacks on people are “rare, with fewer than a dozen fatalities in North America in more than 100 years.” The site also states, “People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully.”
