The Dingo Ate My Baby!

Wildlife officials are investigating what could be the first coyote attack on a human in New Jersey following a backyard attack on a toddler that was foiled by an eleven year old.

Playing in the back yard of his Middletown Township home with his twenty-two month old nephew over the weekend, eleven year old Ryan Palludan first thought the animal that bolted into the yard just before dark was a deer.

But when it grabbed little Liam Sadler in its jaws, Palludan instinctively sprang into action, yelling and kicking at the attacker which was later determined to be a coyote.

"It ran real fast, and in 10 seconds it was on Liam's back, biting the back of his head and his neck," Palludan said. "My dad and I chased it into the woods, and my sister got Liam inside.

"My dad turned to walk away and it came running back at him. I yelled, 'Dad, it's coming for you,' and he chased it away again. But it didn't go all the way into the woods," Palludan explained. "It was kind of staying on the edge. It wanted its food."

Palludan's older brother, Ole Palludan, said he and the adults were sitting on the porch less than 40 feet away when the attack occurred.

The toddler's grandfather, Philip Palludan, who he is familiar with coyotes having seen them out West, said the animal that attacked the toddler was about the size of a German shepherd.

After the attack, family members grabbed flashlights and found the animal still hovering on the edge of the woods after the attack.

They are warning residents to keep their cats, small dogs, roadrunners and rascally rabbits indoors.

Okay, coyotes here in Texas I understand but, when the heck did coyotes start showing up in New Jersey? Maybe the Jersey Devil is to blame? I'll call ACME just in case and order up some supplies...