Conservation officers continue search for bear after Maple Ridge girl attacked
Three-year-old Anaiyah Lekei is now recovering after surgery. The bear clawed and bit her several times on the head, neck and back.
On Sunday morning, a three-year-old girl from Maple Ridge, B.C., was attacked by a bear while on her patio. Anaiyah Lekei suffered several bites and claw wounds to her head, neck, and back. Her mother, Andrea Lekei, shared that Anaiyah began screaming in distress, prompting her husband to rush to their patio. Her father managed to free Anaiyah from the bear, which was already attacking her and preparing for another bite.
The family used towels to stop the bleeding while her father scared the bear away, eventually shooting it with a bow and arrow. About 30 minutes later, an RCMP officer shot a black bear in a neighboring yard, but a necropsy confirmed it was not the bear involved in the attack. Conservation officers are still searching for the bear responsible for the incident.
Neighbors have reported multiple bears in the area, some with cubs. Anaiyah was airlifted to BC Children's Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist the family.
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