AKIPRESS.COM - Authorities say a mother fought off a mountain lion that attacked her 5-year-old son in Colorado on Friday night, ABC reports.

The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office told ABC-7 that the 5-year-old boy had been playing outside around 8 p.m. when the mountain lion attacked.

The sheriff's office says the boy's mother ran outside when she heard screaming and removed her son from the animal. The boy's face, head and neck had been injured.

Authorities told the TV station the boy was being transported to a Denver hospital in fair condition.

The mother hurt her hand and legs but has been released from the hospital.

Authorities found and killed a mountain lion in the front yard of the home about 10 miles northwest of Aspen.

There have been three fatal mountain lion attacks in Colorado since 1991.