4-Year-Old Girl Is Mauled By A Lion, Has Scalp Ripped Off During Family Trip

A family trip quickly turned into a nightmare after a lion mauled a 4-year-old girl while she was with her father at Weltevrede Lion Farm in South Africa on Sunday.

Dina-Marie de Beer, fortunately, survived the attack but is in critical condition. The lion ended up ripping her scalp off and penetrating her skull with one of its claws.

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Part of the child's skull had to be removed on Monday in order to relieve pressure on her brain. She is being kept in an induced coma, reports New24. The father, Pieter, suffered only minor injuries.

The tragedy occurred after Peter, who was holding Dina, moved too close to the fence protecting visitors from the wild animals, and the lion reached through the fence to attack. Farm manager Charlene van Wyk confirmed the incident, calling it a "freak accident."

Audrey Delsink, a spokeswoman for Humane Society International, told The Independent, in part, "The South African government can no longer support this appalling industry and turn a blind eye to the cost to both people and animals."

Delsink added, "A complete shut-down of this cruel and exploitative industry is long overdue," referring to the popularity of lion farms in South Africa.

Just last week, according to Netwerk24, a man was injured after being attacked through a fence at the same farm.