Raccoons attack Georgia baby in her crib

[November 04, 2010]  COVINGTON, Ga. (AP) -- A 9-month-old baby is in critical condition at an Atlanta hospital after she was attacked by two raccoons while sleeping in her crib in the same room as her mother.

Authorities say they are investigating how the raccoons got inside the home and whether the family was keeping the animals as pets.

Newton County Sheriff's Lt. Tyrone Oliver says authorities arrived about 4 a.m. on Wednesday after the mother called 911 to say the baby had been attacked. She was bitten severely on her head and on other parts of her body.

Oliver says the raccoons were outside the family's house when deputies arrived, and that one was aggressive and fatally shot by a deputy. The other raccoon was given to animal control to be tested for rabies.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com/

[Associated Press]

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