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ATWATER VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Neighbors are questioning whether more could have been done to prevent a coyote from attacking and injuring a 16-month-old child in Atwater Village.
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According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the encounter happened on Friday off Glenhurst Avenue. The child was treated at a local hospital and released.
The coyote was later captured by wildlife officials and euthanized, CDFW said.
Neighbor Jason Rosen said he was saddened to learn about the attack.
“That really makes me really sad,” Rosen said.
Rosen said he has previously seen coyotes in the area.
“I’ve seen them around. I actually feel bad for them because, you know, they have nowhere to go,” he said. “Our neighborhood is their neighborhood too.”
It is unclear whether the euthanized animal was the same coyote that residents said they had seen in the neighborhood for months.
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Residents said some neighbors raised concerns with wildlife officials earlier this year about someone feeding a coyote they collectively named “Wylie.”
“Before it was just Wylie and one coyote who seemed kind of friendly. Now it’s sometimes even packs walking around, which is pretty scary,” neighbor Tori Samuel said.
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Rebecca Dmytryk of Humane Wildlife Control Inc. said wildlife officials should have intervened sooner by investigating the residents’ concerns and enforcing rules against feeding wildlife.
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“This tragedy of a child being injured and a coyote being killed was 100% preventable,” Dmytryk said. “I hope that this is a huge wake-up call for the agencies involved.”
The community plans to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the incident and what residents believe needs to change.
Experts advise people who encounter a coyote to keep a safe distance, make themselves appear larger and make loud noises until the animal leaves.
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