River otter attacked child and pulled him underwater, say wildlife officials

BREMERTON, Wash. (KPTV/Gray News) – An otter dragged a small child into the water near a river at a marina in Washington state Thursday morning.

At around 9:30 a.m., officials with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife were notified of the incident in Kitsap County after the child's mother called for help.

The mother said the otter pulled her child underwater. The child managed to resurface and the mother was able to pull him out of the water, but she said the otter continued to attack and bite.

As the family ran away, they were chased by the otter, the mother told the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The child had bite marks and scratches on his head, face and legs and was treated at a hospital in Silverdale.

Sergeant Ken Balazs said the mother did a great job saving her child.

“We are grateful that the victim suffered only minor injuries thanks to the mother’s quick actions and the child’s resilience,” Balazs said.

Following the attack, officials from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, captured and killed river otters in the marina for testing, including for rabies.

River otters are native to Washington. While encounters with humans are rare, six incidents have been reported in the state in the last decade.

The animals can be territorial and show unpredictable behavior.

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