DNA links euthanized coyote to Atwater Village attack on 16-month-old boy

Fish and Wildlife is investigating allegations that a person fed the coyote

DNA samples collected from a 16-month-old boy and an euthanized coyote confirmed that the animal taken was involved in Friday’s attack in Atwater Village, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said. “A coyote was seen at the location where the incident occurred, and it was euthanized,” a department spokesperson said. The spokesperson added, “Those samples have been analyzed and confirmed the coyote that was taken is the offending animal.”

KTLA reported that the coyote entered a family’s backyard on Friday evening and attacked the 16-month-old boy. When the boy and his mother fled into their house, the coyote followed them inside and was reluctant to leave. The boy was treated at a hospital and discharged.

For months, the coyote had roamed Atwater Village, showing up in broad daylight, sleeping in backyards and approaching residents, The Guardian reported. The outlet said at least one person had reportedly fed the animal and that others had affectionately nicknamed it Wiley. The Guardian reported that residents were divided over the coyote’s presence, with some concerned about how close it came to people and others defending it.

The Guardian reported that the coyote had shown “aggressive behavior” before the attack. The outlet also wrote, “Apparently, the animal had a track record of stalking people in the neighborhood.” According to KTLA, door-camera videos showed residents screaming when the coyote approached and the animal chasing a cat up a tree.

Rebecca Dmytryk, who lives in Atwater Village and is the CEO of Humane Wildlife Control, told the Los Angeles Times that she filed a complaint in July with Fish and Wildlife asking the agency to speak with the man who was reportedly feeding the coyote. She did not hear back, she said.

Dmytryk’s complaint read: “Single coyote reported loitering and hanging out in the person’s backyard sleeping on top of vehicle,” the Los Angeles Times reported. It continued: “Coyote reportedly following people as they will do when they are human conditioned, associating humans with handouts.”

Other residents said they filed complaints with the city and state but that no action was taken. A spokesperson for Fish and Wildlife told the Los Angeles Times that the agency followed up on tips it received and was investigating the allegations of feeding the coyote.

In August, local public radio station KCRW posted an Instagram story titled “Is Wiley welcome in your neighborhood?” Commenters were divided. One person wrote: “I live here; I say he stays. It’s as much his home as anyone else’s.” Another cautioned: “We gotta stay vigilant tho lmfao. Homie be casually prowling in the driveway.”

Dmytryk told the Los Angeles Times, “This situation required intervention long before a child was injured.” She added: “Now a child has been hurt, and a coyote is dead.”