A child was bitten by an alligator last week at a New Orleans beach that’s been closed to the public for nearly 60 years, a hospital spokesperson said.
The child was attacked Wednesday while visiting the beach with family along Lake Pontchartrain, a New Orleans Emergency Medical Services spokesperson told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.
The youngster’s age and the extent of their injuries weren’t clear. CNN reported that the child had been taken to the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans and qualified as a trauma patient.
The New Orleans Emergency Medical Services did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
According to the city of New Orleans’s website, Lincoln Beach is a 15-acre site that was established in the early 1900s and designated “as a recreational area for African Americans” before closing in 1964.
“Structures and facilities at Lincoln Beach have gradually deteriorated over time due to lack of maintenance and a barrage of hurricane impacts, causing unsafe conditions at the site,” the city said.
“Access to the Lincoln Beach site is prohibited; however, there is ample evidence of unpermitted and unlawful use of the beach,” the website added.
“Prior to being closed, the beach was accessible through a tunnel beneath the levee,” the city said. “The tunnel is currently fenced and filled with water and wildlife including alligators and venomous snakes.”
According to CNN, the city reminded residents on Friday of the dangers of the closed area, saying “Lincoln Beach is not safe right now.”
“While the City is actively working to redevelop the site for all residents to enjoy, there are a number of safety improvements required before it can be reopened to the public,” the city said, per ABC affiliate WGNO-TV. “Until we know how we can safely re-introduce Lincoln Beach to New Orleanians, we need residents to steer clear.”