A three-year-old girl is expected to recover after a bear attacked her in the backyard of her family’s Maple Ridge home, leaving her with deep wounds to her head, neck and back. Her father fought off the animal, while police and conservation officers launched a search after it repeatedly returned to the property.
The attack happened at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 9, in the 12300 block of 240 Street. The wounded bear escaped into a wooded area and had not been publicly confirmed as located in the latest available update.
Father intervened as the bear attacked his daughter
Andrea Lekei was in the backyard with her husband and daughter when the toddler suddenly began screaming. The intensity of the child’s cries immediately told her mother that something was seriously wrong.
Lekei said her husband confronted the bear and managed to force it away as it appeared ready to bite their daughter again near her neck. His intervention gave her enough time to grab the bleeding child and call 911.
The bear continued returning after the girl was moved to safety. Her father retrieved a compound bow and shot the animal in the head, causing it to run away.
Authorities have not released a complete assessment explaining what brought the bear onto the property or why it remained strongly interested in the location.
Girl airlifted to B.C. Children’s Hospital
Emergency crews treated the toddler before she was airlifted to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Her mother said she suffered deep lacerations to the back of her head and neck, puncture wounds across her back and neck, and additional scratches. Police described the injuries as non-life-altering, while the family said she was expected to make a full recovery.
Lekei described her daughter as a “brave little warrior” and said the family was trying to remain strong for her despite experiencing waves of shock after the attack.
Police shot the bear when it returned
Maple Ridge RCMP officers and B.C. Conservation Officer Service personnel responded at approximately 11:30 a.m. Police secured the area so medical crews could safely reach the injured child.
While officers were at the scene, the bear returned to the residence and its immediate surroundings several times. Police said the animal showed a high degree of interest in the location.
At around noon, an officer encountered the bear again. Because it had attacked a small child and continued displaying aggressive behaviour, police discharged a firearm to protect people nearby.
The bear was struck but escaped into woodland. It had been hit by both the father’s arrow and a police-fired bullet before fleeing, according to the available accounts.
Conservation officers took the lead in tracking the animal. Authorities said it would be destroyed once located because of the attack and its continued aggressive behaviour.
At approximately 12:40 p.m., 240 Street was blocked between 123 Avenue and 125 Avenue. Residents in the surrounding neighbourhood were advised to remain indoors while officers searched the area.
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Why the repeated returns raised concern
Maple Ridge includes residential neighbourhoods close to forests, waterways and wildlife habitat. Bear sightings can occur where those environments meet, but this incident involved more than an animal simply passing through the community.
The bear attacked a child and returned to the same property after being confronted and injured. That behaviour explains why authorities treated it as an immediate threat rather than waiting for it to leave on its own.
The incident follows other dangerous wildlife encounters in the province, including the Bella Coola grizzly attack involving schoolchildren. The circumstances were different, and officials had not publicly identified the species involved in the Maple Ridge attack.
Not every bear encounter requires the same response. Conservation personnel previously rescued a B.C. black bear trapped in a stove pipe and released it into the wild. Officers assess each case according to the animal’s condition, behaviour and risk to the public.
Safety advice for nearby residents
Anyone who sees the bear should keep their distance and avoid approaching, following or photographing it. Children and pets should be brought indoors when an aggressive bear is reported nearby.
The Province of British Columbia’s bear-safety guidance advises people not to run or climb a tree. People should remain calm, slowly back away and speak quietly without turning their back on the animal.
Aggressive or threatening bears can be reported to the Conservation Officer Service through the RAPP hotline at 1-877-952-7277. Anyone facing an immediate danger should call 911.
Residents should also secure rubbish, compost, outdoor pet food, birdseed and fallen fruit. These are general precautions; officials have not established that an attractant caused this attack.
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