Terrifying moment toddler is snatched by monkey and dragged away
Footage has emerged showing the terrifying moment a toddler was snatched by a monkey and viciously dragged across the ground.
The three-year-old girl was playing alone in the street near Chongqing, in southwestern China, on Tuesday afternoon when the animal suddenly pounced on her.
In CCTV of the moment, the monkey can be seen approaching the unsuspecting toddler from behind before grabbing her head and slamming her to the ground.
The toddler is then dragged across the road still in the monkey's grip as it heads in the direction it came from.
Thankfully, a quick-thinking bystander rushes to the little girl's assistance, ripping her from the hands of the animal, according to reports.
The young girl reportedly escaped with only minor scratches on her face, but she was taken to the hospital for further treatment, including a vaccination.
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It's believed the girl's mother was inside cooking at the time and only heard about the incident from a neighbour, the Global Times reported.
She then watched the neighbour's footage showing how the incident unfolded before reporting it to the police.
Monkey attack not a lone incident
Local authorities were able to tie the monkey to several other attacks in the local area - including several pensioners who were targeted by the wild animal.
Authorities have confirmed they will turn the monkey over to the wild animal protection department once it is caught to protect residents, The Sun reported.
The local forestry department reportedly told the media wild monkey attacks are rare.
According to a local police officer, the monkey inhabits the mountains near the village and occasionally comes to the residential area.
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