11-year-old attacked by large fish while swimming in Minnesota lake

DULUTH, Minn. (KMSP) - An 11-year-old girl from Duluth, Minnesota is recovering from an apparent encounter with a large fish that left her with bone-deep lacerations on her foot and leg.

WARNING: This story contains graphic images that may be disturbing to some readers. 

Maren Kesselhon was dangling from her family’s standup paddleboard in Island Lake, about 20 miles outside of Duluth, Wednesday afternoon when something grabbed ahold of her leg.

When she lifted her foot out of the water, she had been cut in 25 places, Maren’s father told the Duluth News Tribune. He said she could feel her foot in what she thought was a fish’s mouth.

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Nine of Maren’s cuts were so deep they required stitches. She also had to undergo surgery to repair the tendon in her foot.

Doctors told the family it was likely a fish that caused the lacerations. Island Lake is home to large muskies and northern pike.

This was not the first animal attack on Island Lake. In 2012, a woman was treading water when an otter bit her several times, according to Fox 21 Duluth. She was taken to the ER with 25 bites.