LA Officials Ignored Warnings Before Coyote Attack on Toddler

Los Angeles officials reportedly ignored repeated warnings from residents for months before a coyote attacked a 16-month-old toddler in the Atwater Village neighborhood.

The coyote bit the child in his backyard and followed him and his mother into their home on Friday. The toddler was taken to a hospital and has since been released. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers later euthanized a coyote in the vicinity.

Residents voiced anger over the incident, claiming it could have been prevented if authorities had taken their concerns more seriously. Wildlife expert Rebecca Dmytryk stated that she filed a formal complaint in late July through the state's wildlife reporting system, but it went unanswered. "What concerned me was the coyote just being comfortable around people," Dmytryk told KTLA. "The authorities knew about it and didn't do the right thing."

Dmytryk also told the LA Times, "This situation required intervention long before a child was injured. Now a child has been hurt, and a coyote is dead."

Other neighbors reported incidents to Los Angeles Animal Services, including a cat being chased by the coyote and the animal scratching at a screen door. Joe Marconi, a resident, said a neighbor admitted to feeding the coyote and refused to stop when asked, despite Marconi having to bring his young daughter inside multiple times due to the animal's presence.

Marconi also stated that complaints submitted to the city and state were met with responses indicating that "nothing could be done." State wildlife officials confirmed to the LA Times that they are still investigating resident reports.

In late May, Los Angeles Animal Services inspected the home of the individual accused of feeding the coyote but found no violation. A spokesperson for the agency told the LA Times that they were "disturbed and saddened" by the attack and denied disregarding the complaints. The spokesperson stated that personnel responded to the location, contacted the individual, followed up with reporting parties, and coordinated with the state agency responsible for wildlife management.

Feeding non-domesticated mammalian predators like coyotes is illegal in the area, but establishing clear evidence of such behavior to prove a crime has been difficult for officials. The agency also noted that officers would not capture the animal unless it was involved in an incident, such as the one with the child.