Shocking moment pet lion escapes and mauls 11-year-old boy in middle of street

A video has captured the nightmare moment a pet lion cub escaped and attacked a child in front of his horrified mother.

Arthit Nueangnui, 11, from Thailand, was standing on the street when the lioness, aged one, managed to break free on October 4. CCTV footage showed the preditaor pounce charge down the street in the Kanchanaburi province at around 9:15 pm local time. She pounced on the "small and thin" boy and sank her teeth into the side of his body.

Luckily, good samaritan, Sarawut Tokaeo, 43, raced to the scene and repeatedly hit the animal's head. Arthit was able to escape the deadly beast after he was clawed. Eventually, the pet returned to his owner, Parinya Parkpoom, 32.

Both Arthit and Sarawut were taken to a hospital for treatment and are out of danger, authorities said. Wildlife officials arrived at Parinya's home on October 5 to sedate Mahaesee and carry her away on a stretcher to be checked by vets and detained.

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Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), said: "The owner has been charged with violating Article 15 of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, which bans permit holders from releasing wild animals. This case should serve as a warning for others to act responsibly when keeping dangerous wildlife."

The offence carries a penalty of up to 50,000 baht (1,150 GBP) and a maximum of six months in prison. Parinya has apologised to the families and vowed to cover all medical expenses. He has also agreed to hand Mahaesee over to the Bungchawak Wildlife Management Development Centre in Suphan Buri province.

He claimed he had left the lioness tethered to a post because her old cage was being renovated. Parinya said: "I didn't realise the chain had broken until a villager called to tell me the lion had escaped and attacked a child. I rushed out right away, secured the lion, and brought her back inside. I'll take full responsibility for all medical expenses and sincerely apologise to both families. This accident was entirely my fault."

Wildlife staff put Mahaesee to sleep with tranquilisers before hauling her out of the property. Residents said they were relieved the beast had finally been removed from the residential area, as she had previously escaped twice before.

Hero villager Sarawut, also known as Boy, said: "This isn't the first time the lion has escaped, it's happened twice before. We all believe it's because the owner has been negligent." Arthit's mother Lek, 45, thanked Sarawut for risking his life for her son, who she said was traumatised by his brush with death.

Lek said: "Right now, both my son and I are in a terrible emotional state after what happened.I had to turn off the TV at the hospital so he wouldn't see the news about himself, especially the CCTV footage. It's traumatising. This incident didn't just cause physical injuries. It left deep psychological scars as well. I wasn't with my son when it happened. He's incredibly brave, he didn't cry at all when he called me. He just told me he was already at the hospital."

She added: "When I asked him what happened, he said he was very scared. He told me, 'The tiger bit me. It pushed me backwards and knocked me to the ground. It was going to do something to me, and then pressed its paw against my chest. So I pretended to be dead, because I knew if I struggled, I wouldn't survive. Then P Boy came to help me. He punched the tiger.

"I was devastated when I heard that. My son is so small and thin, if it had bitten his chest, it would have reached his lungs and organs for sure. Now he's so traumatised that he can't sleep at night. I have to sleep beside him. Recently, the doctors had to reopen the wound because it was bleeding again. Right now, all I want is for him to recover fully, without infection. Taking time off work isn't an issue; we can earn money later.

"What matters most is that my son heals and becomes the cheerful, lively child he used to be. As for accountability, the owner has been checking in regularly and is covering all of the medical expenses. I am truly grateful for Boy. He is a hero for saving my son. He was very brave for fighting the tiger with his bare hands. My son survived because of him. Without him, the child might have already died."

Owning a pet lion in Thailand is legal but regulated under the country's wildlife laws. Owners must obtain a permit, register and microchip the animal, and meet strict facility and safety requirements set by the Department of National Parks. Those who keep lions without permission can face fines, imprisonment, and confiscation of the animal.