5-Year-Old Attacked by Mountain Lion in Calabasas

A 5-year-old boy was severely injured in a rare mountain lion attack during a family picnic at Malibu Creek State Park, Calabasas. The attack occurred around 4:15 p.m. on Sunday, and the boy was airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center where he was treated for significant but non-life-threatening injuries and released the next day. The mountain lion, weighing approximately 50 pounds, attacked the boy near a picnic table but released him after adults, including the boy's father, charged at the animal. The lion then climbed a tree and was later euthanized by state park rangers who deemed it a threat to public safety. DNA samples from the boy's wounds confirmed the identity of the mountain lion. Wildlife officials noted that such attacks are exceedingly rare.