Attack by 'aggressive' coyote at NJ nature reserve injures 13-year-old girl, prompts closures

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. —

Officials closed a dog park and other areas in a New Jersey nature reserve following an attack by what they called an “aggressive” coyote that bit a 13-year-old girl and a dog.

Essex County officials said the attack occurred at about 3 p.m. Friday in a wooded area near the dog park in the South Mountain Reservation.

The teenager was taken to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center with puncture wounds to her leg, a spokeswoman for Essex County Sheriff’s Office told reporters. WABC-TV and WPIX-TV reported that a woman was also attacked about 90 minutes later in the same area. There was no immediate word on that person's condition.

County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said in a statement that after consulting with state fish and wildlife officials, authorities decided to keep the dog park and nearby picnic and parking areas closed for the next five days “out of an abundance of caution to protect the safety of the public.”

“We ask that anyone visiting the reservation be extremely cautious,” DiVincenzo said.

The 2,112-acre county-owned park in central Essex County includes parts of Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange townships.