PA Girl Likely Bitten By Shark While Swimming In Ocean: Reports

PENNSYLVANIA — A summer vacation to the beach turned horrifying for a Pennsylvania girl and her family this week, after she was reportedly bitten by a shark while swimming in the ocean.

It happened down in Ocean City, Maryland, near the 119th Street Beach.

Jordan Prushinski, 12, of Luzerne County was swimming in the ocean when a wave crashed in and she felt something on her leg, according to WBRE News.

She didn't realize what it was or how severe the injury was until "I was on the beach and I was bleeding everywhere,” she told the outlet.

Lifeguards immediately treated her, and she was taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated for 20 wounds on her leg with 42 stitches, reports state.

Although it was initially unclear exactly what had happened, and the shark was not seen, experts said that the nature of the lacerations could only have been caused by a shark, the Times Tribune reports.

Marie Levine, the founder of New Jersey's Shark Research Institute, said it was likely a blacktip shark that bit the child.

“What happened to Jordan was a mistake. I’m sure it was mistaken identity,” Levine told the Tribune. "There’s a difference between a predatory attack and a bite when you bump into each other and the shark is frightened."

Jordan is making a full recovery and reportedly plans to swim in the ocean again once her stitches are off.