A toddler experienced a terrifying encounter with a coyote just outside his home in Pasadena, California, as captured by surveillance footage on Monday. The heart-stopping incident was caught on camera, showing the child’s narrow escape.

The footage reveals the 3-year-old dashing onto the driveway, only to suddenly halt in fright. He then turned back, sprinting towards safety while emitting a frightened scream.

Within moments, the coyote emerged into view, closely pursuing the boy across the front yard. As the wild animal neared the camera, a louder scream, seemingly from an adult, could be heard echoing through the scene.

KABC-TV reported that the boy’s mother was just steps behind him when this alarming encounter took place.

“Sal went out the gate like he usually does before me,” Aida Svelto, the boy’s mother, shared with the outlet. “Then I heard him scream, and Sal came running back. He clung to my legs, and that’s when I screamed, seeing this enormous coyote,” she recounted.

“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.”

After the scream, the coyote reappeared on camera, retreating back the way it had come.

Salvo was reportedly left unscathed, despite the close call.

A child runs from a coyote in Pasadena, California. 

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.

“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.”

“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.”

A coyote follows a 3-year-old boy running back to his house in Pasadena, California.  (Leonard Bessemer via Storyful)

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.

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 and, in rare instances, humans.

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