WAYLAND, MASS. (WHDH) - Wayland Police are warning the public after a 2-year-old was bitten by a raccoon at the Wayland Town Beach.
Police say the child was taken to a local hospital and received appropriate medical treatment.
The child’s parents say the animal came out of nowhere.
“When I went through the list in my head of what this could possibly be, ‘bit by a rabid raccoon’ was not one of them,” Megan Cohen, the boy’s mother, said.
“I was working from home, and at 4 p.m., our nanny texted saying there was an encounter with a raccoon and she was bringing him home,” Spencer Cohen said, the boy’s father. “Then, when she got him in the car seat, she said, ‘ok he was bit,’ and we should go to the hospital.”
The boy, named Grayson, received several stitches and rabies shots.
“It’s quite an example of toddler resilience,” Megan said. “I think we, as his parents and our nanny, are a lot more shaken and traumatized than he is.”
Police are warning residents not to approach or feed any raccoons or other wildlife, keep a safe distance from any animal acting abnormally, and keep children and pets away from wildlife.
If anyone is bitten or scratched by a wild animal, they are advised to seek medical attention immediately.
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