NATIONAL NEWS - A female giraffe who had recently given birth attacked Hoedspruit resident Katy Williams, 35, and her three-year-old son Finn on Monday late afternoon, a mere 150 metres from their home.
According to a press release that the Hoedspruit Herald received from the property where the incident occurred, Blyde Wildlife Estate, the mother and child were found by the woman’s husband whilst they were still under attack from the animal at approximately 18:00.
The husband, Sam Williams, managed to chase the giraffe away. Katy and Finn were treated on the scene by Hoedspruit Medical Rescue as well as a medical doctor from Hoedspruit, Dr Victor Loftie-Eaton.
The patients were transferred to a local airfield and the medical team worked relentlessly to stabilise mother and son while waiting for two helicopters to arrive from ER24. The helicopters arrived later in the evening and Finn was the first to be airlifted to Busamed Modderfontein Hospital in Johannesburg. The mother then followed shortly in the second helicopter.
An operation was performed on Finn during the early hours of Tuesday morning to release pressure on his brain due to injuries sustained. At the time of going to press, both mother and son were stable but in a critical condition.
