Mountain Lion Euthanized After Attacking 5-Year-Old Boy at Malibu Creek State Park

A mountain lion unexpectedly attacked a 5-year-old boy during a family outing at Malibu Creek State Park, leading state wildlife officials to euthanize the animal. The incident, witnessed by several adults, resulted in significant but non-life-threatening injuries to the child, who was subsequently airlifted to a hospital and released the following day. 

Rare Incidents

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported that such attacks are exceedingly rare, with only about 20 confirmed cases in over a century.