Young child is bitten by coyote twice in front of home
By Chelsea Hylton, Matthew Rodriguez
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California (KCAL, KCBS) — A young child was bitten by a coyote twice in front of their home on Tuesday morning, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says.
Officials said the incident occurred around 8:50 a.m. while family members were unloading their car in the 400 block of Moorehaven Drive.
The child suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Officials are conducting an operation to locate the coyote.
CDFW staff said that DNA testing confirmed that the coyote attacked another young child in Carson on February 11. Fish and Wildlife also received reports of two more coyote attacks in Gardena and Dignity Health Sports Park within a week before Tuesday’s incident.
“It’s currently believed that the coyote responsible for the March 31 and February 11 attacks could be responsible for at least one of these additional reported attacks,” CDFW said in a statement.
Last August, CBS LA reported that a 6-year-old boy was attacked by a coyote during a youth softball tournament in Carson.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department initially stated that DNA testing confirmed that the coyote was linked to an attack last year. However, CDFW staff clarified that the coyote in the latest string of attacks is not the same one linked to the August incident.
Officials remind the public to always supervise children outdoors, keep pets on a leash and close by, avoid leaving food or trash accessible and report aggressive wildlife immediately.
“The department believes that the coyote may have been drawn into populated areas by the smell of attractants such as food waste, unsecured trash cans, pet food left outside, and wants to take this opportunity to remind the public that removing attractants can help to keep wild animals from approaching their property,” CDFW said in a statement.
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