An 8-year-old from Central Texas was injured at a Galveston (Texas) beach over the weekend. According to her mother, who spoke to broadcaster KWTX, a suspected shark bit the girl on her left leg. She was taken to 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. The child pushed the attacker away and screamed for help. First responders took her away from 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 stitches. Harper is expected to stay in hospital for a few more days to prevent infections.
“The doctors confirmed it looks like a shark bite,” Christa said. “Harper is being brave.”
Condition stable – rare incidents
According to the family, the girl is doing as well as can be expected. Shark incidents are rare on Galveston’s beaches overall; nevertheless, authorities advise caution when swimming in the sea, particularly in murky water and near the shore with fish activity.
Update & assessment
According to the family, Harper Ochoa was readmitted to hospital because the wound had become infected; she is receiving antibiotics and will remain under observation for a few days.
The incident occurred, according to the family, in the Jamaica Beach area. Notably, at the time, there was no official incident report on file with local authorities (Beach Patrol, emergency services, police). The family confirms the incident, however, and emphasises that Harper is recovering. Bites are considered rare in the region.
The injury to the lower leg was treated in hospital with 13 stitches; the family describes the event as a sudden grab in shallow water.