Surveillance video captured the frightening moment a coyote chased a young girl in a suburban yard Tuesday morning.
The footage shows the child preparing to swing on a tree swing at a home in unincorporated South Villa Park when the coyote runs into the yard.
The girl runs away from the animal, which then chases her to her home before running away.
The child’s family said she is frightened but OK. They added that they alerted area authorities about the incident.
The village of Villa Park posted an alert on Facebook Tuesday saying they are in contact with representative of the DuPage County Forest Preserve and the Illinois Conservation Police.
The village reminded residents of advice from the forest preserve on living with coyotes.
"Like domestic dogs, coyotes test their limits around humans and learn something from each exchange," the forest preserve states on its website. "Unless they associate people with negative experiences, such as loud noises, they can become comfortable walking down streets or sidewalks or near schools, basking in yards or parks, and shortening the distance between themselves and humans. A bold coyote does not necessarily mean an aggressive coyote, but a coyote that maintains its fear of humans will be less likely to cause problems."
Local
It remains unclear what, if any, action will be taken following the incident.
