Leopard drags 6 year old boy near Hoedspruit
JOHANNESBURG - Kellan Denny (6) was almost dragged away by a leopard while on holiday with his family at Ntsiri Private Nature Reserve near Hoedspruit, but was saved by his father.
The incident took place on April 26, at the Ntsiri Private Nature Reserve in the Umbabat, in the Timbavati-Klaserie conservation area near Hoedspruit.
According to a story posted by Lowvelder, Denny was playing on a low wall that surrounded the boma area at his family’s holiday home on Ntsiri Private Nature Reserve in the Umbabat, in the Timbavati-Klaserie conservation area near Hoedspruit when the leopard pounced on him.
The story states that the leopard knocked the young boy to the ground, pinned him down, bit into his shoulder and then picked him up in his jaws and headed in the same direction from which it had attacked, dragging him through a mopani thicket.
Luckily, his father, Justin Denny, a financial planner for Liberty Life, was only about three metres away and could give chase. “With lots of shouting and screaming I followed the leopard for about 30 metres into the bush. By the grace of God the leopard dropped my son. It was a total miracle,” exclaimed Justin.
Kellan sustained four main bites, two directly behind his neck, one on his left shoulder and the other on his left arm pit. He was taken to a medical facility in Hoedspruit where he received stitches.
The boys family returned home to Johannesburg and admitted him to Sandton Clinic, where he underwent X-rays and an ultrasound to see if any bones were broken, and to determine if septicaemia had set in. Apart from some severe bruising and internal bleeding, Kellan is recovering well.
This is a developing story. Updates will be published as they become available.
