'I saw his leg in bear’s mouth': Wheelchair-bound granddad saves boy, 10, from 250lb black bear attack
MORRIS, CONNECTICUT: A 10-year-old boy almost met a tragic fate when a 250-pound black bear mauled him while he was playing in the backyard of his grandparent's house in the town of Morris on Sunday, October 16, at around 11 am. As the boy was having a gala time at the trampoline set up in the backyard of his grandfather's house, a black bear emerged from within the thick woods and struck at the first opportunity. The boy was heroically saved by his grandfather, who is wheelchair-ridden, and a neighbor. The beast was later killed by the officials.
The horrific incident took place on Sunday morning when the bear appeared out of the wood and started dragging the child along the lawn while clawing and biting the child. The grandfather, James Butler, explained how he threw a metal bar to injure the black bear, only for him to strike again. However, the screams were heard by a neighbor the second time around who scared away the beast by screaming and brandishing a pipe. While talking to Republican-American of Waterbury, Butler explained, "I heard him yell 'bear' and when I looked up, I saw his leg in the bear’s mouth and the bear trying to drag him across the lawn." After the beast was far enough, the grandfather-child ran into the house. Butler continued, "We thought he was coming through the screen. No doubt he was a big threat." However, the beast returned.
READ MORE
2 women in ICU after being savaged by black bear that guarded the victims ‘for its next meal’
It is reported that a police officer who came to the rescue managed to steer clear the family of the danger by ratting the screen door and driving the animal away. Officers from the state police and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection environmental conservation force responded and the bear was located later in the day and was shot dead. At the time of the attack, Butler was inside the house with his wife Christina Anderson. The child was then taken to the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries caused by the bear's mauling, including a puncture wound to a thigh, bite marks on his foot, and claw marks on his back.
It is reported that the population of black bears has significantly risen and reached 1,000 to 1,200 as per the outlet. Merely a month ago, a 2-year-old's birthday party was crashed by a black bear in Connecticut itself. Luckily, no one was injured and the only thing that the animal devoured were some cupcakes. State biologist Jenny Dixon has revealed that the risk of negative bear-human interactions is increasing as Connecticut's expanding bear population becomes acclimated to humans and develops a taste for their food.
