Mother Rescues Daughter From Rabid Raccoon Attack While Waiting for School Bus

A Connecticut mother is being praised for her heroic actions on Friday as her daughter suffered minor injuries in a rabid raccoon attack that was caught on her home security camera. In the video, which is nearly a minute long, the mother is seen rushing to the rescue as she grabs the raccoon by the neck. 

“I heard her screaming and ran to see what was going on. I thought maybe she slammed her hand in the door, I was not expecting to see a raccoon attacking her,” said Logan Kelsey MacNamara, adding that she wouldn’t be able to tell you what happened if it weren’t for the video – everything happened so fast. 

The show of courage is something every mother can relate to when their child is in danger. At that moment, a mother’s selflessness and love for their child overcome any amount of fear they might have. And while some people think superheroes are only portrayed in films, MacNamara shows us differently. 

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It all started when MacNamara’s daughter, Riley, stepped outside to wait for the school bus. Despite not doing anything to provoke the raccoon, it eventually lunged toward Riley and started biting at her leg. The home security video shows Riley trying to shake the raccoon off her leg, but it wasn’t letting go. 

With Riley screaming at the top of her lungs, Logan MacNamara rushes out the front door to a full-on raccoon attack. Without thinking, MacNamara yells ‘NO!’ as she grabs the raccoon by the scruff of its neck and pulls it away from her daughter – giving Riley an opportunity to run inside to safety. 

After several attempts at getting the raccoon off her arm, MacNamara finally gets a good grip and throws the raccoon across her front yard – she even had the awareness to warn her neighbors of the rabid raccoon attack, in the middle of her fight with the raccoon. The raccoon ran off to the side of the house. 

In an interview with Storyful, MacNamara confirmed they both had scratches and her daughter suffered several puncture wounds – which likely would’ve been worse, had it not been for her jeans. Nonetheless, they’re both doing okay and plan on getting a rabies vaccine in the coming weeks, just as a precaution. 

Officials Praise the Mother’s Response to the Rabid Raccoon Attack

In a statement obtained by USA TODAY, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection praised the mother’s heroic reaction to her daughter’s raccoon attack – adding that she did everything by the book, considering the intense amount of pressure she was under at the time of the attack.

“She protected her daughter by getting the raccoon off her and getting her inside, warned the neighbor, and, as we understand, reached out to authorities including the local animal control,” said the department. It’s a testament to what we’re capable of in the heat of the moment – especially when a child is in danger. 

While the raccoon hasn’t been found and/or tested for rabies, officials have reason to believe that it’s sick. “The fact that the animal attacked a person, seemingly unprovoked, is a strong sign that the animal isn’t well. We should also caution that an incident like is relatively uncommon,” the department added. 

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In addition to their well-wishes directed towards the MacNamara family, the department urged residents not to interact with raccoons – even if they seem friendly. While they’re generally scared of humans, they can easily lose that fear and attack when they feel threatened. It’s best to avoid them in any scenario.