http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/773514.html

Cougar mauls 16-year-old girl

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"A teen was attacked by a cougar when she and her boyfriend illegally entered a wildlife collector's home. Loading... * Photos BY JOSE PAGLIERY, JENNIFER LEBOVICH AND KIRSTEN MAGUIRE jpagliery@MiamiHerald.com A young man's irresponsible bravado nearly cost a young girl her life Saturday afternoon. The 16-year-old girl was mauled by a cougar and rushed to the hospital after she and 21-year-old Anthony Zitnick illegally entered a wildlife collector's home about 1:30 p.m. Neighbors believe Zitnick was trying to impress the younger girl. Alan Rigerman, who legally keeps two cougars and several snakes, tortoises and alligators at his North Miami-Dade home, was out for the weekend at a reptile show in Central Florida. Wildlife officials said the retired Miami-Dade school science teacher had permits for the animals. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Eddy Ballester said the girl sustained some significant wounds that warranted taking her to a local hospital. Miami-Dade police arrested Zitnick for his unauthorized entry into the Rigerman's home. Neighbors said paramedics also treated Zitnick, who was in shock after Chaos, a 150-pound male cougar, attacked the girl he brought inside the home. Dried blood covered Rigerman's concrete floor at the spot where the 4-year-old cougar pounced on the girl and clenched his jaws around her head. Richard Miralles, a neighbor familiar with Rigerman's large cats, heard the girl's piercing scream from next door. 'I heard her scream, `I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die,' '' he said, hours after paramedics had left. Miralles said he immediately dropped what he was doing, jumped his six-foot fence, and barged into Rigerman's back room -- only to find the girl pinned beneath Chaos, her head in his mouth and his large declawed paw on her face. Zitnick was standing nearby in shock, Miralles said. At first, Miralles said, he tried to push Chaos off, but he wouldn't budge. He then resorted to punching and kicking the cougar, who quickly balled up in a corner, he said. Miralles then picked up the girl, who was bleeding profusely from her head and thigh, and ran outside to wait for an ambulance. Rigerman left the area Friday and put his neighbor, Jason Medina, in charge of feeding the animals while he was away at Repticon, a two-day international reptile show in the Tampa Bay area. The retired Hialeah-Miami Lakes High teacher said he was shocked to hear that ''A.J.'' Zitnick, whom he said was his young friend, had entered his home without permission. Rigerman said Zitnick entered with a key he'd given him soon after Hurricane Wilma in 2005, when the teenager did yard work for the older man. ''And he helped me with my cats under my supervision,'' he said. ``But never, never, never alone.'' Zitnick's family could not be reached for comment. Rigerman said he's worried for the young girl and is sorry that Zitnick got arrested, adding, ``they had no right to be in my home.'' ''I'm worried about my absolutely spotless reputation with what I do with these animals,'' he said. Neighbors said Zitnick most likely entered the home simply to show the girl the cougars. ''He took it upon himself to bring his girlfriend here,'' Miralles said. ''And show off,'' Medina added. According to Rigerman, his place was last inspected by wildlife officials on Thursday -- he passed with flying colors, he said. He owns a captive-wildlife permit that allows him to keep the animals at his home. Hours after the incident, Chaos and his cougar mother, Chantelle, lay quietly on the concrete floor of their large indoor cages. Chaos seemed calm, his breathing steady. His eyes were focused and narrow, and his muscles flexed beneath his skin. ''Honestly, he's like a kid,'' Medina said, sighing. ``He likes to play.'' Chaos is still at the house -- in a cage -- and that's where he'll stay for now, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "

11/17/2008 10:33:31 AM

i was disappointed when i realized this did not say

Quote :

"Cougar mauled by 16 year old trespasser"

11/17/2008 10:34:17 AM

sad thing is the owner is going to probably be sued and will lose a lot of money

11/17/2008 10:34:38 AM

THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T GIVE PEOPLE KEYS TO YOUR GOD DAMNED HOME SON.

11/17/2008 10:35:52 AM

Chaos is a pretty badass name for a cougar though.

11/17/2008 10:36:45 AM

11/17/2008 10:38:07 AM

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"his cougar mother, Chantelle"

Male cougar got a badass name, the mother got a black woman's name

11/17/2008 10:40:04 AM

i thought this thread was about LivinProof78

11/17/2008 10:41:44 AM

good kitty

11/17/2008 10:41:53 AM

ATTACK COUGARSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11/17/2008 10:43:06 AM

She shouldn't have been standing there.

11/17/2008 10:44:04 AM

21 year old with a 16 year old girlfriend

what a winner

11/17/2008 10:44:06 AM

Is he cool because he gets young chicks or is he lame because he gets borderline underage chicks?

11/17/2008 10:45:13 AM

is that a question?

This is rape, son.

11/17/2008 10:46:02 AM

of a most statutory variety

11/17/2008 10:46:51 AM

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"He then resorted to punching and kicking the cougar, who quickly balled up in a corner, he said."

Aww.

11/17/2008 10:48:33 AM

He's lame because he gets borderline underage chicks mauled by cougars.

11/17/2008 10:50:15 AM

WORDS

11/17/2008 10:50:33 AM

^^^Dude fought a cougar bare handed, that's bad ass

11/17/2008 10:51:06 AM

Quote :

"21 year old with a 16 year old girlfriend what a winner"

11/17/2008 10:51:19 AM

damnit RawWulf you took my idea...oh well

she is entering "cougardom"

11/17/2008 10:53:15 AM

^I'd fuck

11/17/2008 10:54:46 AM

That guy has one awesome security system.

11/17/2008 10:54:47 AM

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"He's lame because he gets borderline underage chicks mauled by cougars."

N00b/Alias ftw!

11/17/2008 10:54:49 AM

what a dumb fucking kid

11/17/2008 10:58:21 AM

^ It is America.

This thread would have been 10x cooler if it had been a cougar mauled by a 16 year old.

11/17/2008 10:59:51 AM

^

11/17/2008 11:00:17 AM

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/99/99pcensus.phtml

11/17/2008 11:05:09 AM

stupid kids.

11/17/2008 11:58:35 AM

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"is that a question? This is rape, son."

It is in Florida



In NC he would have been A-OK

11/17/2008 12:01:47 PM

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""21 year old with a 16 year old girlfriend what a winner""

And he just stood there shitting himself while she was being attacked, this guy is just made of win.

11/17/2008 12:05:39 PM

i read Cougar mauled by 16 year old trespasser

I'm Big Business and i approved this message.

11/17/2008 12:33:51 PM

Quote :

"i thought this thread was about LivinProof78"

I LOL'd

11/17/2008 12:46:20 PM

The sad thing is she's probably going to stay with him.

11/17/2008 12:55:22 PM

a 21 year old fucking with a 16 year old girl needs his ass kicked. too bad he wasnt the one who got it.

11/17/2008 1:16:31 PM

you keep gettin older and they just stay the same age

I'm Big Business and i approved this message.

11/17/2008 1:17:43 PM

dont fuck with the mountain lion

11/17/2008 1:40:00 PM

sounds like a CSI Miami episode

11/17/2008 1:43:24 PM