Updated

Emergency crews responded to Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Lake Forest, California, Monday afternoon for a reported mountain lion attack on a 3-year-old child.

The child suffered injuries to the neck as a result of the attack, according to the Orange County Fire Authority who said the family of six was walking in the park with the 3-year-old in front of his father when the feline came out of nowhere and grabbed the child by the neck.

The father threw a backpack at the mountain lion, at which point the animal dropped the child in lieu of the backpack and jumped up a tree, the Orange County Fire Authority said.

The mountain lion ran up a tree after the father hurled a backpack, investigators said. (Orange County Fire Authority)

The child was taken to a local hospital and is said to be in stable condition.

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The incident occurred at about 4:13 p.m. on Portola Parkway.

The park was evacuated as park officials monitored the mountain lion in the tree. California Fish and Game officials responded to the scene. At about 5:30 p.m., officials on scene confirmed the mountain lion had been killed.

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