Security Cam Captures Hero Dad Rescue 2-Year-Old Daughter from Jaws of Coyote
When Ariel Eliyahuo picked up his daughter Ariya from daycare, he had no idea that she would be in danger after arriving home. As he unpacked the car, the 2 year-old wandered around their Woodland Hills, CA yard.
Unknowing to them, a coyote was in the area. The terrifying moment was caught on the family’s home security camera. In the video, the young girl could be heard screaming as the coyote drags her to the ground.
“I heard Ariya scream. I thought she fell down,” Eliyahuo told CNN. “I ran immediately to see what was going on and I saw the coyote attack her. I picked her up in my arms and tried to make the coyote go away.”
Eliyahuo can be seen throwing a water bottle at the wild animal, while others off screen can be heard screaming. Luckily for everyone, the coyote quickly ran off.
2-year-old girl attacked by coyote outside her Los Angeles home, is saved by her father. pic.twitter.com/GmFgBYAalC
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) December 4, 2022
As reported by People, Eliyahuo’s wife, Shira, told KTLA 5 News that Ariya had “a lot of scratches” on her left leg and that “one of them was bleeding.”
“I grabbed her and laid her down,” she added. “I saw blood on her pants and on her leg and where she got injured. It was just terrible.”
“I just wanted to make sure she was okay,” she continued.
The couple immediately rushed their daughter to the emergency room where she received multiple rabies shots.
Eliyahuo told CNN that the attack was highly unexpected since Woodland Hills is a built-up neighborhood.
“We don’t live in a zoo, we live in Los Angeles,” he said. “Now I’m really, really, really afraid to let the kids go out, even in the back yard, by themselves.”
CNN has reported that authorities are working on catching the coyote. Using samples from Ariya’s clothing, they are hoping to use DNA collected to identify the coyote that attacked her. Once caught, the animal will be euthanized so they can test it for rabies.