In a frightening incident on New Year’s Eve, a five-year-old boy in Renton, Washington, was attacked by a coyote while playing in his neighborhood. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. in the Maplewood Heights area when the boy was bitten on the upper body by the animal.
The swift actions of the boy’s mother likely saved him from serious harm. When the coyote pulled her son to the ground and attempted to drag him towards a nearby greenbelt, she fearlessly intervened, rushing at the animal. The coyote, startled by the mother’s aggressive response, released the child.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officers responded to the scene and attempted to locate the coyote. After a brief search, they located the animal near the attack site but were unable to immediately capture it. The coyote fled into a nearby forested area.
The child sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was released later that evening.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of wildlife safety and the potential dangers of encounters with wild animals, even in residential areas.