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A 13-year-old boy named Dominick Cebula was severely injured by a rabid beaver while swimming in Cunningham Falls State Park, Maryland, in July. The attack required multiple surgeries and post-exposure treatment for rabies. Graphic images show deep cuts to his chest and hands. His family raised over $1,330 through a GoFundMe campaign aimed at covering medical expenses. Additionally, another person was attacked by a second rabid beaver two weeks later in the same park, leading to temporary closures until August 24 when no further evidence of rabid beavers was found.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A 13-year-old boy named Dominick Cebula was attacked by a rabid beaver while swimming in Cunningham Falls state park in Thurmont, Maryland, on July 26. According to his father, Jeff Cebula, and local news outlets, Dominick fought off the animal but suffered severe injuries including bites to his chest and right hand. He underwent three surgeries at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to repair nerve damage and received multiple rabies post-exposure shots. The attack occurred despite the boy not provoking the beaver. This incident highlights a recent increase in unusual wildlife encounters; the CDC reported a 17% rise in rabies-related inquiries from July through August compared to the same period in 2025. Water access at the park was temporarily closed but reopened on August 24 after no further evidence of rabid beavers was found.
Written for “Beaver Attack In Maryland Park” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
A teenage boy was mauled by a rabid beaver while swimming on a family trip to a state park in Maryland.
asserted
boy → maul → Maryland
Dominick Cebula, 13, was left needing multiple surgeries after the bloody attack at Cunningham Falls in Frederick County earlier this summer.
asserted
Cebula → leave → County
His aunt Leigh Cebula said in a GoFundMe campaign the teenager was underwater when his mother and younger brother spotted the approaching beaver.
asserted
mother → say → beaver
The animal, which she described as being 4-foot-long, was not provoked by Dominick but still “beelined” straight towards him.
asserted
she → describe → him
Graphic photos shared on the fundraising page show deep cuts to his chest and both his hands.
asserted
photos → share → chest
“He grabbed its head and a leg, and he tried to get it off of him,” Dominick’s father Jeff Cebula told WUSA9.
asserted
father → grab → WUSA9
“At that point, he kind of felt that it was locked onto him.
asserted
it → feel → him
And then it started shaking its head, kind of like a dog would do.”
asserted
dog → start → head
During the struggle, Dominick was eventually able to wrench the rabid animal from his chest.
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Dominick → wrench → chest
Leigh says that her nephew was airlifted to Baltimore, amid concerns that he had a punctured lung.
asserted
he → say → lung
She credits his ability to fight off the beaver to him being an “amazing athlete” and “winning wrestler.”
asserted
him → credit → beaver
Once at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dominick started receiving post-exposure treatment for rabies.
asserted
Dominick → start → rabies
Rabies is fatal in 100 percent of cases if it infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear, the World Health Organization says.
asserted
Organization → infect → system
“It’s not just one shot,” his father told WUSA9.
asserted
father → ’ → WUSA9
“It’s multiple shots around each bite site.”
asserted
It → ’ → site
Jeff, whose family have been visiting the park for 30 years, said his son has needed three surgeries to repair nerve damage caused by the beaver.
asserted
son → visit → beaver
Speaking to The Frederick News-Post, Dominick said one of his hands was “messed up” following the July 26 attack.
asserted
one → speak → attack
“I thought they were going to have to amputate my finger because the bite was down to the bone,” he said.
asserted
he → think → bone
The fundraising appeal to help with his recovery has so far raised more than $1,330 towards a $1,500 target.
asserted
appeal → help → target
Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources confirmed the beaver tested positive for rabies and it was euthanized a day after the incident.
asserted
it → confirm → incident
A second rabid beaver attack took place on a 19 year-old at Cunningham Falls on August 5, about two weeks later.
asserted
attack → take → August
Water access at Hunting Lake Creek and other parts of the park was closed, reopening on August 24 after the department confirmed there was no further evidence of rabid beavers at the location.
asserted
department → close → location
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