Port Angeles, Wash. — The father of a 4-year-old is being hailed as a hero after, park officials say, the child was bitten by a mountain lion while walking with their family over the weekend on a popular trail in Olympic National Park in Washington state.
The child was flown to a trauma center in Seattle for treatment after Sunday's attack, according to a statement from the National Park Service. CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO-TV reports that Harborview Medical Center said the child was in satisfactory condition and has since been released.
The attack by a mountain lion fitted with a tracking collar was near an overlook on Hurricane Ridge, a popular mountain area with expansive views.
The Olympic Mountains are seen beyond a forest from Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash, in July 2019.
Elaine Thompson / AP
The attack was reported to rangers around 3:15 p.m. on Sunday and paramedics and park staff traveled to the injured child, according to the park service.
Rangers immediately started searching for the cougar and were joined by a canine team at about 5 p.m., the statement said, adding that rangers found the cougar shortly after the canine team joined the effort.
By Monday, park staff had "dispatched the animal," the statement said, using a term that generally refers to killing an animal.
"There are no current threats to the public," the statement said.
Officials said they wouldn't be releasing any identifying information about the child to protect their identity.
KIRO says Steve Murrow told the station he was hiking on Hurricane Trail with his family the same day the attack happened. He says they didn't see the attack but heard screaming when they were approaching the area.
"We heard like screaming of a small child," Murrow said.
Murrow and his father-in-law, Mike Flenniken, told KIRO they walked up and saw the mother holding the child and a group of people comforting the family.
Murrow and Flenniken say witnesses told them the father was able to get his child away from the cougar. Both believe his actions saved the child's life.
"I don't think that kid would survive if it wasn't for his dad jumping in," Murrow said. "I mean, he's a hero. You know, it just boils down to safety in numbers and it is rare that something like this would happen."
