Child dragged underwater in Bremerton aquatic animal attack

A mother was walking with her young child along a dock at the Bremerton Marina Friday morning when her child was attacked.

The mother told the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) her child was pulled underwater by a river otter. She said her child was dragged under the water and after a few moments, came back up.

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The mother then lifted her child out of the water while the otter continued to attack and was bit in the arm. As the mother and child left the dock, the otter kept going after them, stated WDFW. According to the agency, the child left with scratches and bites to the top of the head, face and legs. They were treated for injuries at a Silverdale hospital.

“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” WDFW Sergeant Ken Balazs said via the report. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants.”

WDFW said officers contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wildlife Services to “trap and lethally remove river otters from the marina.” According to the agency, one otter was trapped at the scene and was taken to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab for testing, including rabies.

Becky Elder with WDFW told MyNorthwest, via email, that diseases including rabies and parasites associated with river otters are rarely a risk to humans. However, canine distemper, a disease affecting dogs, can be found in Washington’s river otters.

“Have your dogs vaccinated for canine distemper to prevent them from contracting the disease,” Elder stated.

She added that Giardia and Cryptosporidium are also found in otters in the Puget Sound area which can be a concern for people who are immunocompromised.

“Anyone handling a river otter should wear rubber gloves and wash their hands well when finished,” Elder said.

There have been six documented human-river otter incidents in Washington in the last decade, stated WDFW.

“Although encounters with river otters are rare, they can be territorial and, like any wildlife, are inherently unpredictable,” Elder said.

She said if someone comes across a river otter near a walkway, WDFW recommends maintaining a safe distance and giving the animal room to escape. She said the same goes for any wildlife.

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Elder said WDFW also recommends picking up small pets and children or moving them closer to an adult during any type of wildlife encounter. She added dogs should be leashed to avoid them chasing the animal.

If someone experiences an otter incident, Elder said to call 911 for immediate help during an emergency. For non-emergency poaching/violations or for reporting dangerous wildlife, call 877-933-9847 between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Outside of those hours, call local state patrol and send an email to reportpoaching@dfw.wa.gov.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.