The Region - News from July 2, 1986

The parents of a 5-year-old El Toro girl, contending that the state was responsible for a mountain lion mauling the girl last March at Ronald W. Caspers Regional Park in Orange County, have filed a $28-million claim against the State of California. Donald and Susan Small filed a similar claim for the same amount last week against Orange County, which owns and operates the park, situated in the Santa Ana Mountains near San Juan Capistrano, where the lion attacked their daughter, Laura. The couple’s lawyer said the state claim was being filed because wildlife management is a state responsibility. Laura Small sustained brain damage and extensive damage to the right eye, as well as lacerations in the March 23 mauling, and has undergone surgery six times since then. State officials said at the time they know of no previous attacks on a human by a mountain lion in California.