Arizona Mother Fights Off Coyote Attacking 4-Year-Old, Taking Bite to Face

Q: Did the captured coyotes actually test positive for rabies, explaining this rare and terrifying daytime attack?

No confirmed rabies result has been reported in the available coverage. Arizona Game and Fish said several coyotes were captured from the area and were being tested, but the stories provided do not include any announcement that the animals tested positive. Officials also said the reason for the attack was unclear, which suggests rabies had not been established as the explanation at the time of reporting. While a daytime, aggressive coyote attack is unusual, wildlife experts note it can happen for reasons other than rabies, including habituation to people, food conditioning, territorial behavior during denning season, or other illness or injury. Because the coyote bit the mother in the face and reportedly also injured the child, the incident would be treated as a high-risk exposure regardless of whether rabies was confirmed. Public health guidance in the related reporting emphasizes immediate wound care, prompt medical evaluation, and rabies post-exposure treatment if advised, since rabies is fatal once symptoms begin. So, based on the information available here, rabies was being investigated but had not been confirmed as the cause of the attack.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 14

Brittany Cardinal said a coyote started nipping at her 4-year-old daughter during a kite-flying outing in their Arizona neighborhood, forcing her to scoop up the girl and fight the animal off with a flip-flop.
The coyote did not retreat when Cardinal yelled and swung at it; after she fell, it bit her in the face before mother and daughter escaped back home.
Cardinal suffered facial lacerations and puncture wounds, while Arizona Game and Fish later removed several coyotes from the area and began rabies testing.
Arizona Game and Fish said Cardinal followed recommended attack-response steps—fight back, yell and use whatever is available to drive the animal away—underscoring concern about coyotes near residential areas.