SURPRISE, AZ — A Surprise mother is being praised for her quick actions after she reportedly fought off an aggressive coyote that attacked her and her 4-year-old daughter while they were flying a kite in their neighborhood Sunday afternoon.
The encounter happened in a residential area bordering open desert, where neighbors say coyotes are a common sight.
According to family members, what began as a routine outing quickly turned into a frightening struggle.
“She just kept trying to yell at it, like shoo it away, and it was just continually pouncing at her,” said Sydney Brewer, the woman's sister-in-law.
Brewer said the coyote initially targeted the young girl before turning its attention to the child's mother.
As the attack intensified, the mother did everything she could to keep the animal away from her daughter.
“She put it in a chokehold down on the ground and was screaming for help for a while trying to keep it away from her daughter,” Brewer said.
During the struggle, the coyote reportedly bit and scratched the mother multiple times. Brewer said the animal at one point latched onto the woman's face before she was able to break free and escape.
The mother and daughter eventually ran home, and the coyote did not follow them.
But both suffered injuries.
According to Brewer, the 4-year-old received a single bite wound. The mother sustained multiple lacerations and puncture wounds to her face, including injuries to both sides of her face and ear.
Brewer said the outcome could have been far worse.
“One thing I kept thinking about when she told me, especially seeing the wound on her daughter, if she was turned slightly to the side, I feel like the coyote could've latched on to her little body, and it could've been a lot worse,” Brewer said.
Neighbors say coyotes are frequently spotted in the area because the subdivision sits adjacent to open desert habitat.
“I come out here sometimes at night, when I head into work, I might see them running around across the street,” said nearby resident Danny Schneider.
Following the attack, Arizona Game and Fish Department personnel were called to the area.
According to Brewer, wildlife officials removed several coyotes Monday morning as part of an effort to determine which animal was responsible for the attack.
Officials have not publicly identified whether the attacking coyote has been located.
While the mother and daughter are recovering physically, family members say the experience has left them shaken.
For Brewer, the attack underscored both the dangers that can come with living near wildlife and the determination of a parent protecting a child.
“I've just been thinking about what would happen if it happened to me,” Brewer said. “Hopefully I can do the same that she did, but she kept her baby safe.”
Wildlife experts routinely advise residents not to feed coyotes and to report aggressive behavior to authorities. They also recommend making loud noises, maintaining eye contact and keeping small children and pets close when coyotes are spotted nearby.
For residents of this Surprise neighborhood, the attack serves as a reminder that even in growing suburban communities, encounters with desert wildlife can happen unexpectedly.
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