A shark attack struck a 10-year-old Charleston boy in South Carolina Wednesday afternoon at Folly Beach. WSPA 7 News reports that the incident occurred a little after 2 pm near East Ashley Avenue, according to Fire Chief Steve Nims at Folly Beach Public Safety.
Riley Harris was boogie boarding in a shallow section of the beach when he felt something suddenly bite his ankle and foot. Riley claims he saw a 4-to-5-foott long bull shark, Fire Chief Mims says. This hasn’t been confirmed, however.
Officials say no one else has come in contact with a shark, nor did they see a shark attack happen to the boy. Riley was taken to the hospital and treated overnight Wednesday. The boy didn’t sustain life-threatening injuries, but he did require stitches. He has a deep bite wound in his ankle and other lacerations on his heel and the top of his foot.
Folly Beach reportedly gets around one-to-two shark bites a year. This shark attack is the first one in this area this year, officials say.
The boy’s shark attack hasn’t deterred vacationers from going into the waters at Folly Beach, as Live 5 News reports . Visitors are mindful of the sharks and the rare instance of being attacked, but won’t let it hamper their summer fun.
It seems that at least once a week this summer a child under the age of 14 is encountering a shark. A lot of attacks have occurred in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The Inquisitr has reported on multiple incidences that have taken place in 2014. Another shark attack happened last week to a 7-year-old boy in a lake in Louisiana . He also had bites on his foot. Many shark bites are often the ankle, foot, or heel. One expert mentioned in a report about a child getting bit on the heel, that the quick movements of their feet in the water mimic a fish to them. This lures them to go for what they see as bait in some instances.
Most of the shark attack bites this season have required stitches, much like Riley Harris did. In most reports about these types of events, the healing process takes about four to six weeks. It wasn’t reported how long Riley’s healing process will take. This doesn’t take into account other factors, such as how each individual’s body handles recovery time. For some it takes longer than others and depends on the severity of the wounds.
[Image via ShutterStock ]
