Monday, November 17, 2008
Teenager attacked by cougar
NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Miami-Dade police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported a teenager to the hospital after a cougar attacked her Saturday.
Rescue crews responded to the scene, located at Northwest 179th Street and 84th Avenue after a neighbor heard a girl scream and called 911.
Witnesses said a teenage girl and her boyfriend were in the backyard of the house. For unknown reasons, she entered an enclosed area where the cat is kept, and it pounced on the girl.
Richard Morales, the next door neighbor, rescued the 16-year-old girl from the cat. "I heard a girl screaming for her life, 'Somebody please help me! I'm dying! I'm dying.' I jumped the fence and got to the back of the house where the girl was literally in the mouth of the cougar."
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported the teenager to Memorial Hospital with lacerations to her head. According to authorities, A.J. Zitnick entered Rigerman's property with the girl. Miami-Dade Police arrested him on the scene and charged him with burglary.
Authorities said the home and the cats belong to Alan Rigerman, a licensed exotic animal enthusiast.
According to Rigerman, who went out of town for a few days, and no one was allowed on his property while he was away. His neighbors knew he was out of town and were instructed to call the police should they witness anyone go into his property. "I don't know about the young lady that got hurt. I have no idea who she is. She did not have my permission to be in the house. Well, it's not the house," Rigerman said. "It is a locked patio, surrounded by walls, chain links and wood. You can never, never fully trust them [animals]. Many people do, I don't."
Doctors expect the young lady to be OK.
Authorities are investigating the attack and the burglary.
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