FRUITLAND, Wash. — A nine-year-old girl was attacked by a cougar Saturday morning at a kids camp near Fruitland, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The attack happened around 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. WDFW told KREM 2 that nine-year-old Lily Kryzhanivskyy was playing outside when the cougar attacked her. She was taken to the hospital and sent to the intensive care unit.
According to a GoFund Me set up by the family, Lily is awake and talking but remains in the ICU as of Monday.
Officials say they're beginning their investigation into what caused the attack. The animal has been taken for testing.
According to WDFW, this is the first cougar attack in Washington state this year.
WDFW says cougar attacks are extremely rare in Washington. In the past 100 years, there have only 20 cougar attacks in the state. Cougar attacks have only resulted in two know deaths in that same period of time.
If you do encounter a cougar here are some important tips to prevent an attack:
- Don't run. Face the cougar. Talk to it firmly while slowly backing away.
- Do not take your eyes off the cougar or turn your back. Do not crouch down or try to hide.
- Try to appear larger than the cougar. Get above it. If wearing a jacket, hold it open to further increase your apparent size.
- If the cougar does not flee, be more assertive. Shout, wave your arms and throw anything you have available.
- If the cougar attacks, fight back. Be aggressive and try to stay on your feet. Cougars have been driven away by people who have fought back.
To donate to Lily's GoFund Me, click here.
This is a developing story. KREM 2 is continuing to confirm details on the attack and will update with the latest information.