The little girl suffered bite wounds and scarring to her face during the attack in April. Her family says the city has failed to follow through with plans to try to scare the coyotes away.
The family of a 2-year-old coyote attack victim say they plan to sue the city where the incident took place as they release images of the girl’s gruesome injuries.
In April, the youngster was enjoying a outing with her family in Huntington Beach, California, when the coyote came up and pounced, knocked her down and bit her face in the horrific attack that was captured on surveillance camera.
The girl’s mom, Breanne Thacker, and attorney Sam Soleimany, announced they are planning a lawsuit against the city. They also released a video of the girl riding a carousel before her face was scarred.
“Frankly, she’s lucky to be alive at all. Unfortunately, she has developed scars on her face. She’s absolutely traumatized from all this, as is her mother,” Soleimany said.
The girl’s family says city officials have known that coyote sightings are on the rise, along with attacks on small pets, but says the city failed to follow through with plans to try to scare the coyotes away.
Across the country, coyotes are getting more urbanized and roaming residential neighborhoods.
In Los Angeles, a coyote chased a chihuahua in the backyard and chomped down on the little guy. The coyote tried make a getaway with the family pet still in its jaws, before the homeowner was able to scare the coyote off with an airhorn.
A 10-year-old Toronto girl also had a terrifying encounter with a coyote. Her fearless little Yorkshire terrier came to her rescue as she screamed for help.
“They target pets and small children, and there’s no coordinated effort anymore to get anything under control," Soleimany said.
The city of Huntington Beach did not respond to Inside Edition's request for comment. According to a local report, the city confirmed it had received a claim but said they do not comment on pending legal matters.
