Child Released From Hospital After Peninsula Mountain Lion Attack: AP

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A 5-year-0ld boy who was attacked by a mountain lion in rural San Mateo County Tuesday has been released from a hospital, The Associated Press reports.

The child was released from Stanford Medical Center Tuesday evening, according to the report.

The boy was hiking on a trail with his mother and grandfather when the attack reported before 7 p.m. occurred on private property on Tunitas Creek Road.

The boy had raced ahead of the adults when the big cat pounced on him and pinned him to the ground, said Capt. Patrick Foy, a spokesman with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“The little boy was pretty viciously attacked by a mountain lion that took him to the ground and began biting into him,” Foy said.

He said the boy fought the mountain lion and tried to free himself but the animal only let go after the child’s mother charged at it.

“Right before she even made physical contact with the lion, the lion released the little boy,” Foy said.

Foy said investigators have not yet interviewed the boy’s mother or been able to get access to the property where the attack happened.

They also have yet to inspect the boy’s clothes for traces of saliva that could help them collect a DNA sample of the animal, he said.

The attack occurred in the 1000 block of Tunitas Creek Road, around 10 miles south of Half Moon Bay, a community still reeling after just over a week ago a mass shooting killed seven people.

"Our coastal community has endured so much these past few weeks," San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said in a statement.

"Our entire agency is saddened of this news and sends many warm wishes to the child for a speedy and full recovery. Our thoughts are with the family at this time."

The CDFW is investigating the attack.

Mountain lion attacks are extremely rare. California has seen just 22 confirmed attacks since March 1986, according to the DFW’s website. The only two confirmed Bay Area attacks occurred in Santa Clara County (September 2014 and February 2020).

“An attack is verified only when a physician, law enforcement officer or CDFW personnel determine the injuries were caused by a mountain lion,” the DFW’s website said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report