The mom of a young boy who was attacked by a coyote in California earlier this week is speaking out following the traumatic experience.
In an interview with ABC News' Los Angeles station KABC on Thursday, Melissa Palomar said that she and her family were at a local park in Carson for their daughter's softball tournament, when her 6-year-old son, Enoch Palomar, was attacked by a coyote.
"It's traumatizing," Palomar said. "I was in shock."
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Palomar said that during the softball game on Monday morning, her son wanted to play at a nearby playground with other kids. She said that when Enoch ran to retrieve a ball that he was playing with, a coyote appeared and grabbed him out of nowhere.
"It kept scratching me and biting me, I was yelling," said Enoch, who recalled the pain from the attack and thought it was a dog at first.
His mom said, "At first I thought it was a dog, but he yelled immediately and as soon as the coyote bit him, I ran toward him and then I noticed it was a coyote and then I started making noise," she said. "And as soon as I got close to him, he ran off."
She continued, "I picked up my son and I took him to the emergency room as soon as possible."
Part of the incident was caught on camera by a bystander who was filming the softball game. In the video, Enoch is behind the fence screaming and running away from the coyote. The person filming also caught the coyote on camera.
The injuries that Enoch sustained were bites on the back of his head, both of his legs and scratches, Palomar said, adding that he had to get more than 20 stitches and rabies shots.
"His wounds are really deep," she added.
Palomar said that she is grateful she was there to scare off the coyote when it attacked her son.
She is also urging others to "be more aware" of their surroundings.
"There's a lot of coyotes," she said about where she lives. "I've seen them in the street [while] driving, but I never thought they'd be so close to us. For a lot of people to be there and for a coyote to go to the playground and attack [kids] them, it's very shocking to me."
Wildlife officials say that coyote sightings are common in California, but attacks on people and children are rare.
Coyote spotted roaming in Central ParkAccording to Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife, an environmental organization aimed at protecting and restoring the environments of Los Angeles wildlife, the increased trend of coyote sightings is due to "habitat loss and fragmentation."
"As natural habitat is encroached upon and urbanized, the coyotes simply have fewer and fewer places where they can go," CLAW adds.
If you ever encounter a coyote or if a coyote ever approaches you, Project Coyote, a national non-profit organization, advises not to run.
"Wave arms, make noise and walk toward the coyote until he retreats," it notes on its website. "Be 'Big, Bad and Loud.'"
Project Coyote also advises to "avoid areas where coyotes may be denning or feeding/hiding pups."
