Home / Disasters and Accidents / Child Injured in Coyote Attack Near Westfield Mall
Child Injured in Coyote Attack Near Westfield Mall
27 Nov
Summary
- A three-year-old girl was hospitalized with arm and hip injuries.
- The attack occurred near a Crate & Barrel at Westfield UTC Mall.
- Wildlife officials are investigating and attempting to capture the coyote.
Two children sustained serious injuries following a coyote attack that occurred near the Westfield UTC Mall in San Diego. One victim, a three-year-old girl, was hospitalized with bites to her arm and hip before being released from Rady Children's Hospital. The second child's injuries remain undisclosed.
The attack happened near a Crate & Barrel store, with the wild animal having vanished by the time first responders arrived. The California Department of Fish & Wildlife is leading the investigation, collecting DNA evidence in collaboration with federal wildlife services to locate and apprehend the coyote.
Experts note that while rare, such encounters can be prevented by avoiding human habituation of coyotes, often caused by feeding them. The mall's proximity to canyons and green spaces may have attracted the animal, possibly a young coyote venturing out, underscoring the need for caution.
