7-year-old boy attacked by bear in Westchester County
BEDFORD, Westchester County (WABC) -- An investigation is underway after a 7-year-old boy was attacked by a bear cub in Westchester County on Tuesday morning.
Crews responded to a residence on Hickory Kingdom Road around 11 a.m. after reports that a bear attacked the child on the property.
The child was playing in his back yard with a sibling when the attack happened.
Police say the boys' parents were both home at the time and rendered aid to their son.
Authorities said when they arrived, the bear continued to present a danger to first responders and area residents and it was euthanized by officers on the scene.
"Our concern was he did not retreat so at one point he did advance and when you have that many human beings, I would think that an animal of that kind would normally retreat and it did not," said North Castle Police Department Chief Peter Simonsen.
The child was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took possession of the bear and took it to the Westchester County Department of Health for testing for rabies.
Police said this was the first bear attack they are aware of, but those living in the area said they know there are plenty of bears around.
"It's a scary thing, I think about it every day when I take my children out and my grandchildren out in the yard and my pets," Bedford resident Janet Bates said.
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