A child and mother were attacked by a river otter at the Bremerton Marina in September 2024. The Port of Bremerton has reached a settlement with the family.
BREMERTON, Wash. — A Bremerton family will receive a $350,000 settlement after a mother and child were attacked by a river otter at a marina in September 2024.
The family’s attorney, Christopher Froines, confirmed the settlement reached with the Port of Bremerton.
At the time of the attack, Froines said the family was walking down the dock to take one of their children to school, holding hands and “never saw the otter before it attacked the youngest child and pulled her underwater.”
The Port of Bremerton Commissioners approved the settlement at its April 14 meeting.
KING 5 has reached out to the Port of Bremerton for comment.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), a woman and her child were walking on a dock around 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 12, 2024, when the river otter pulled the 2-year-old child into the water. The woman said the child was underwater for a few moments before resurfacing.
WDFW officials said the otter kept attacking the woman while she pulled the child out of the water. The child was hospitalized for scratches and bite wounds to the face, head and legs; the mother was bitten on the arm.
The settlement claims the Port had “repeated notice” of otter activity on and near the dock, including receiving complaints about the otters’ aggressive nature. It claims the Port made no efforts to remove the otters, warn the community or restrict access to areas with known otter activity.
The family, who lived on a sailboat at the marina, claim the Port was negligent in providing a safe environment for those who live at the marina.
WDFW trapped and lethally removed the otter from the marina after the attack.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
