An 8-year-old girl from Central Texas was injured over the weekend at a beach in Galveston (Texas). According to her mother, who spoke to station KWTX, a suspected shark bit the girl on the left leg. She was taken to the hospital and is currently receiving antibiotics.
Incident at the beach
According to the family, Harper Ochoa was playing in shallow water when something suddenly grabbed her lower leg from behind. The child pushed the attacker away and screamed for help. First responders took her off the beach; the family noticed a clearly torn wound below the calf.
"At first we thought it was a stingray – there was so much blood that you couldn’t see anything," said mother Christa.
Medical care and findings
At the hospital, the bleeding was stopped. The attending doctors classified the injury as consistent with a shark bite. The wound was closed with 13 staples. Harper is expected to remain hospitalized for a few more days to prevent infections.
"The doctors confirmed that it looks like a shark bite," said Christa. "Harper is being brave."
Condition stable – rare incidents
According to the family, the girl is doing well under the circumstances. Shark incidents are generally rare at the beaches of Galveston; nevertheless, authorities advise caution when swimming in the sea, especially in murky water and near the shore where there is fish activity.
Update & Einordnung
According to the family, Harper Ochoa was readmitted to the hospital because the wound had become infected; she is receiving antibiotics and will remain under observation for a few days.
The family states that the incident took place in the area of Jamaica Beach. Interestingly, local authorities (Beach Patrol, emergency services, police) currently have no official incident report – yet the family insists the event occurred and highlights that Harper is recovering. Shark bites are regarded as rare in the region.
The injury to the lower leg was treated in the hospital with 13 staples; the family describes the event as a sudden grabbing in shallow water.
