An Aspen woman saved her 5-year-old son from a mountain lion by reaching into cat's mouth and prying it open with her hands.

According to the Pitkin County Sheriff's Department, the boy was playing outside near his home about 10 miles northwest of Aspen on Friday when he was attacked by the mountain lion. The boy's father immediately called authorities to report the incident  and then transported his son to the hospital. The boy was then reportedly helicoptered to Children's Hospital in Denver.

The Aspen Times reports the boy's mother was inside their residence when she heard screams and raced outside to find the cat attacking her son. She reached into the cat's mouth to pry it open and extricate her son from its grip. The mother reportedly suffered minor injuries to her hands and legs, while the boy suffered injured to his head, face, and neck.

The boy's condition is not known, though the Times says his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

The mountain lion was later located and put down.

UPDATE: The unnamed family issued a brief statement said the boy was doing better in a Denver hospital and thanked the public for its concern. Wildlife officials actually killed two mountain lions in the area following the attack.

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