Dallas World Aquarium is facing a lawsuit after allegations that one of its giant otters bit a 2-year-old girl in 2019, leaving her with permanent scars.
According to The Dallas Morning News, the lawsuit, which is seeking $250,000 to $1 million in damages, was filed on February 7 in the 193rd Civil District Court in Dallas County.
Samantha Jorgensen, a Fort Worth resident, was visiting the aquarium with her husband and 2-year-old daughter on September 2, 2019, when the alleged attack occurred.
According to the suit, Harlow Jorgensen, Samantha’s husband, put his daughter on his shoulders because the aquarium was crowded, and he wanted his daughter to have a better view of the animals.
The suit stated that Harlow stood with his daughter on his shoulder near the middle of the giant otter exhibit when she was bitten by one of the animals.
According to the suit, the child was bleeding and screaming after she was bitten. An on-site medic provided the child with “basic first aid.”
The child’s right middle and ring fingers were cut from the bite, with her middle fingernail torn off, according to the suit.
Samantha took her daughter to a pediatrician shortly after the attack. The pediatrician prescribed antibiotics for the girl to prevent infections.
The lawsuit claims that the aquarium did not enclose the animal’s habitat properly and did not warn visitors about dangers posed by the animal.
Heather Davis, one of the family’s attorneys, said the child’s scars will be a constant reminder of how what was supposed to be a fun and happy day for the family turned into a “nightmare.”
