River otter attacked and dragged child under the water, wildlife officials say

BREMERTON, Wash. (KPTV/Gray News) – An otter pulled a young child into the water on Thursday morning next to a river at a marina in Washington state.

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

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

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

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

Sgt. Ken Balazs said the mother did a great job responding and saving her child.

“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” Balazs said.

After the attack, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials, with the help of the United States Department of Agriculture, captured and euthanized river otters at the marina for testing, including for rabies infection.

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

The animals can be territorial and display unpredictable behavior.

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