GALVESTON, Texas (KXAN) – A 5-year-old is recovering after she was bitten on the leg by a shark in Galveston, Texas.
The father said his daughter was in knee-deep water when he heard her scream. He said he saw a three to four-foot long white bellied shark.
The girl was pulled away from the shark by her father, who ran carrying her to the shore. Authorities say the child suffered significant soft tissue damage.
She was bitten below her calf, above her left foot. Her foot was still attached and the bone was not damaged. Authorities pointed out this was a bite not a shark attack.
“Our belief is that the shark bit the little girl’s leg thinking it was a fish,” said Galveston Beach Patrol, Peter Davis.