In the video, the 3-year-old boy ran out onto the driveway before abruptly freezing in his tracks. He then turned around in panic, fleeing at full speed while letting out a terrified shriek.<\/p>\n
Moments later, the coyote appeared on camera, trailing closely behind the boy. As the animal moved through the family\u2019s front yard and past the camera, a much louder scream \u2014 appearing to come from an adult \u2014 rang out.<\/p>\n
According to local outlet KABC-TV<\/a>, the boy\u2019s mother was right behind him when the harrowing run-in unfolded.<\/p>\n A child runs away after encountering a coyote in front of his home. (Leonard Bessemer via Storyful)<\/p>\n “Sal went out the gate like he always does before me,” Aida Svelto told the outlet, referring to her son. “Then I heard a scream, and Sal came running back. He grabbed onto my legs, then I screamed because I saw a big, giant coyote.”<\/p>\n After the scream, the coyote<\/a> reappeared on camera, retreating back the way it had come.<\/p>\n Salvo was reportedly left unscathed, despite the close call.<\/p>\n RUNNER FOUGHT OFF MOUNTAIN LION WITH STICK JUST WEEKS BEFORE FATAL ATTACK ON SAME COLORADO TRAIL<\/a><\/p>\n A child runs from a coyote in Pasadena, California.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Coyotes are not uncommon in the hilly neighborhood of South California, but the mother said she had never experienced one intentionally crossing into her property.<\/p>\n “We have seen them, but they typically just stay on the street,” Svelto told KABC-TV. “I really didn’t feel nervous. Now I’m nervous.”<\/p>\n “This one was bigger and scarier, and I just really didn’t think that he would go after a kid,” she added. “It’s one thing to see them go after a chihuahua or rabbit or whatever, but he’s pretty big, so it was scary.”<\/p>\n A coyote follows a 3-year-old boy running back to his house in Pasadena, California.\u00a0 (Leonard Bessemer via Storyful)<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n Experts say animals are especially active and inquisitive during this time of year, as mating season drives them to search for mates and additional food sources.<\/p>\n While coyotes are native to California and play a valuable role in controlling rodent populations and cleaning up animal carcasses, they are also known to sometimes target small pets<\/a> and, in rare instances, humans.<\/p>\n![\"gif](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-chases-child-gif-fox-news-001.gif\")
<\/p>\n![\"child](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/child-runs-from-coyote.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/child-coyote-chase-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Oregon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-attacks-oregon-child-in-backyard.jpg\")
<\/a> <\/p>\n