Animal activist goes too far (accuses parents of hurting child attacked by coyote)

LA Daily News ^ | 4/8/04 | Naush Boghossian

[BurbankKarl]

Animal activist goes too far Aggrieved parents appear to refute claims

By Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE -- Parents of a Glendale girl who authorities say was killed in a 1981 coyote attack rushed to City Hall in the middle of a City Council meeting after they saw an animal rights activist on television protesting coyote trapping and questioning how their child died.

Clutching her daughter's death certificate in her hand, a visibly upset Cathy Keen told council members Tuesday that she was there to counter animal rights activist Pamelyn Ferdin's suggestions that 3-year-old Kelly Lynn Keen died of some sort of blunt force trauma.

"I'm the mother of the child. My heart is pounding. I cannot believe someone can accuse my husband or me of child abuse," said Keen, who is president of the child advocacy group Glendale Healthy Kids.

Keen and her husband, Robert, had been watching cable access coverage of the Glendale City Council meeting when they heard their names mentioned during public comments by activists opposing city plans to trap and kill coyotes.

"I'm not here to discuss whether or not to trap coyotes, but when coyotes walk into your front yard, you have a problem," Keen said. "And I will not be accused of child abuse, and I think Glendale needs to be responsible for their children."

Ferdin, a former child actress, said again Wednesday that she does not believe the girl died from a coyote attack. "I stand by my beliefs that a coyote did not kill (the girl)."

Another activist present at Tuesday's meeting, Maral Tejirian, said Wednesday: "I felt bad for the mother for being upset about this and coming out."

In an interview Wednesday, Councilman Frank Quintero rebuked animal rights activists for the comments.

"Leaving aside the merits of trapping coyotes, what the activists said at the dais was cruel and absolutely uninformed," Quintero said.

"Knowing the mother, it broke my heart that they would do that to her. When they were making the accusations, I was considering stopping them."

Tuesday night, Cathy Keen recounted her daughter's death in August 1981. Her death is generally considered to be the only documented U.S. case of a coyote killing a human.

Kelly Lynn let herself out of the family's Chevy Chase Canyon home and encountered the coyote in their driveway, her mother said.

"The coyote dragged her across the street," Keen said. "My husband ran to her rescue and chased the coyote off.

"We drove as fast as we could to Glendale Adventist Hospital, ran red lights, did everything we could to save her life. She was in surgery for four hours, and she died from injuries because of the coyote attack. I have the death certificate in my hand."

The certificate listed the cause of the child's injuries as "mauled by a coyote."

Before the start of Tuesday's City Council, about eight activists held signs protesting the council's decision two weeks ago to allocate $16,000 to help fund trapping and killing about 40 coyotes by year's end. City leaders said the step was necessary to curb the number of coyotes that have been coming down from the foothills in search of food.

[BurbankKarl]

This idiot has a website: http://www.pamelynferdin.com/home.html

You can tell her what you think at: pamelyn@pamelynferdin.com

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[Hodar]

Why isn't this considered 'Slander' and 'Defamation of Character'? Perhaps the parents should file a law suit.

Accusing the parents of a mauled and deceased child of child abuse and murder, in a public and televised scenario seems like a very 'open and closed' case.

[sticker]

Pamelyn and Maral???? Ever notice how many of these wackjobs have strange spelled names or just strange names?

[sandbar]

>Accusing the parents of a mauled and deceased child of >child abuse and murder, in a public and televised >scenario seems like a very 'open and closed' case.

It would seem that this type of situation is exactly what the law was written for.

[BibChr]

I grew up in Glendale. Dang, when I saw that name, I thought, "There was a child actress with that name, cute kid." Dang, she goes with Sheila Kunz, another ruined association. What an idiot.

Wonder what her position is on abortion?

Idiot.

Dan

[packing heat]

Responding only brings us down to their level. Let the bitch say what she wants and burn in hell. That sin is on her soul and she'll have to carry it the rest of her life. In addition, she knows she's lying and has to live the rest of her worthless life being a very stupid person.

[Khurkris]

Southern California is filled with 'former child actors/actresses' who just can't cope with the fact that their 15 minutes is over.

Pretty sad.

[netmilsmom]

Pamelyn Ferdin

The voice of Lucy in the Peanuts Specials.

[Hodar]

Responding only brings us down to their level.

No, responding with a lawsuit shows that 'they' have to play by the very same rules we have to play by. If I blanket accuse you of 'rape', 'sodomy' and 'murder' without evidence, in a public setting; I have committed a crime. Turning the other cheek only encourages them to go further the next time.

[jonascord]

Bump for later

[socal_parrot]

I never did like her...

Pamelyn Ferdin

[theDentist]

The idiot activist in question.....

[OpusatFR]

"Ferdin, a former child actress, said again Wednesday that she does not believe the girl died from a coyote attack. "I stand by my beliefs that a coyote did not kill (the girl)."

What a statement. Ya know, when you make accusations like this, you have to be able to back them up.

I smell a civil suit in the airing along with animal activist charbroil.

[laotzu]

"Big sisters are crabgrass in the lawn of life"
Linus VanPelt

[RepublicansForDean]

I'd respond by sending her some Coyote jerky.

[Chewbacca]

Don't forget to add 'Emotional Distress' to the lawsuit.

[DH]

allocate $16,000 to help fund trapping and killing about 40 coyotes by year's end.

$400.00 per coyote!!!!!!!!!  Ye gads!  Can't they do it with a 15 cent .22 long rifle bullet?  I guess not, after all, it's the government doing it their way.

[avg_freeper]

Don't piss her off too much or she'll start chanting for the Gorgan to come and help her. Then we'll have to beg William Shatner to save us all. And none of us want that to happen.

[PLMerite]

Ah, I remember seeing her in things...she worked a lot back then.