California woman fights off mountain lion with bare hands to rescue 5-year-old son

A California woman has earned praise for fighting off a mountain lion with her bare hands to rescue her five-year-old son. The incident occured on 26 August when the child was playing outside his house near Calabasas in Los Angeles County. The mountain lion came from nowhere and attacked the child, dragging him about 45 yards, as per the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. In an interview to CBS News, Captain Patrick Foy with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said that the mother “managed to fend the lion off her son.” On hearing her son scream, the woman who was inside the house, ran outside quickly. She began punching the mountain lion with her bare hands. She continuously punched the animal until it released the child. Further in his update, Patrick stated that the woman was an “absolute hero” who saved her son. Meanwhile, concerned authorities asserted that the mountain lion managed to inflict wounds on the child’s upper torso, neck and head. Minutes after the attack, the five-year-old was taken to a hospital by his parents, where he was given immediate treatment. He will remain there for some time as he recovers from his injuries. The boy’s condition is said to be stable. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) provided an update on the animal, explaining that when a wildlife officer reached the scene, he discovered an aggressive mountain lion crouched in the corner of the property. Later, the wild animal was shot dead by concerned authorities due to its behavior and proximity to the attack. However, a DNA test was taken by the department to see if it was the same lion who had attacked the child, and to their surprise, it was.