Mom pries open mountain lion’s jaws to save son
DENVER, Colorado—Summoned by the sound of screams, a Colorado woman raced to her front yard to find a terrifying sight: A mountain lion was hunched over her 5year-old son, biting him.
The woman charged the animal, yanked away one of its paws and discovered her son’s whole head was in its mouth. She didn’t back down.
“She was able to pry the cat’s jaws open,” Pitkin County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Buglione said. “She’s a hero.”
Deep cuts
The boy suffered deep cuts to his head, face and neck and was flown to a Denver hospital. The mother, who also had scratches and bites, is credited with saving his life.
The ordeal started on Friday evening when the 5-yearold and his older brother were playing outside their home near the resort town of Aspen, Buglione said.
When the woman ran outside, she found the mountain lion crouched over her younger son, who was struggling to get free.
“The boy was completely under the cat,” Buglione told The Aspen Times.
Rushed to hospital
The mother grabbed the lion’s mouth and pried it open, freeing the boy. She then scooped him up and ran away, the deputy said.
The boy’s father had just returned from a run when the attack occurred. He jumped in the car with his wife and son and called 911 as they sped to the Aspen hospital.
From there, the child was flown to Children’s Hospital in Denver in fair condition. On Saturday, a hospital spokesperson told the Times she was not authorized to release any details on his condition.
Bite marks
The mother suffered bite marks on her hand and scratches on her leg, authorities said. She was treated and released.
The mountain lion was estimated to be about 2 years old and was not fully grown.