ASHFORD, CT – An animal control officer reported that a child was bitten by a raccoon in Ashford. The incident occurred around 7:55 a.m. on Friday on Fitts Road.
State police were called to assist the officer in handling the situation. A surveillance video captured the attack.
Incident Details
The child, identified as 5-year-old Rylee MacNamara, recounted her experience, stating, “I was going out to get on the bus and a raccoon was there and tried to attack me.” She indicated that the raccoon clung to her leg, causing bite marks and scratches.
Rylee’s mother, Logan, attempted to remove the animal and screamed for help, exclaiming that it was a rabid raccoon. After successfully throwing the raccoon off, it fled into the woods.
As of now, there is no confirmation on whether the raccoon was rabid. Rylee and her mother promptly went to the hospital for rabies shots and returned home within a few hours.
Community Reactions
Logan expressed her shock at the situation, stating she was unprepared to see a raccoon clinging to her daughter. “I thought maybe she slammed her finger in the door,” she said.
Neighbors in Ashford expressed concerns about wildlife in the area. Jessica Gessay noted that the surrounding woods pose dangers from wild animals, and Dave Frank described it as concerning for the animals to be so close to residential areas.
Animal control personnel spent the morning searching the woods for the raccoon but were unable to locate it. The MacNamara family is considering setting traps around their home as a precaution.
For the next two weeks, Rylee and Logan will be returning to the hospital for additional shots. The family has decided that their children will not be allowed outside alone during this time.
