x
Breaking News
More () »

Grandparents, children stung by hundreds of bees in Scripps Ranch

The family was teary and traumatized after a routine day at the park ended with Grandma on the ground covered in bees.

SAN DIEGO — Bees have taken over a Scripps Ranch park leaving a couple of people with more than a hundred stings, all within a matter of minutes.

CBS 8 spoke with two of the victims after they were released from the hospital.

A portion of Fairbrook Park is now closed off, with caution tape and a warning sign that says, "Bees in the area." 

Even though the hive has been moved to another location, there are still a lot of stragglers lingering behind. 

"I look and maybe there were 300 to 400 bees on top of her," Shiran Hamias said about her mother, who was also stung during the attack.

The family was teary and traumatized after a routine day at the park ended with Grandma on the ground. She had never been stung before. But all of a sudden a swarm of bees covered her from head to toe. More than 100 stingers, pulled from her scalp, face and neck alone. She tells me she's glad it was her, and not her grandbabies.  

She described herself as a "human hive." Bees in her ears, nose and even mouth. She nearly went into shock and will still be on medication for another week. 

"Anyone from age zero to 100, shouldn't have to deal with an attack like this," Hamias added.

That's why the family is taking legal action against the pest control company Cartwright and possibly the City of San Diego - claiming negligence for the way the hive was removed. 

CBS 8 reached out for comment, but have not heard back. 

The President of the Scripps Ranch Civic Association Bob Ilko says "while it's unconfirmed, witnesses say the beekeeper ran off and did not render aid."

Val Catanzarite was also at the park Tuesday evening with his granddaughter. 

"It was like something out of a movie, never seen anything like it," he said. "I heard a lady screaming, I looked back - there was a lady laying on the ground just covered in bees."

He happens to be a doctor and ran toward the danger that day. As he tried to help a stranger in need, he was also stung more than 100 times and also had to be taken to the emergency department. 

"I ended up having to run down the street to get the bees off of me. My granddaughter was stung 8x - she was 60 to 70 feet away - there were bees just all over the place," Catanzarite added.

We all know bees are crtically important to our planet, but we can agree, at a safe distance.

CBS 8 was told these were Africanized honey bees. They are known to be more aggressive and chase people farther than the European honey bee.

Before You Leave, Check This Out