In a heart-stopping incident at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas, a giraffe reached into a pickup truck and briefly hoisted a 2-year-old girl into the air. The incident occurred during a visit to the drive-thru safari park earlier this month, where visitors have the opportunity to feed the animals from their vehicles.

Jason Toten, the father of the toddler, recounted the frightening experience. As the family stopped to feed the giraffes, Toten turned to look out the back window and noticed the giraffe digging around before suddenly grabbing his daughter, Paisley, by her shirt. The animal lifted her a few inches off the ground, prompting Paisley's mother, who was in the back of the pickup, to shout at the giraffe. Startled by her response, the giraffe released Paisley.

Fortunately, the incident was captured on camera by the occupants of the car behind them, who later shared the footage with the family. Toten believes it was an accidental occurrence and confirmed that they had not violated any park rules, such as keeping car doors closed, using cups to feed animals, and maintaining a distance of at least 50 feet from gates.

"Paisley was holding a bag, and the giraffe went for the bag, not intending to get her, but ended up grabbing her shirt as well," Toten explained.

Despite the terrifying ordeal, the family remains undeterred from visiting the safari park again in the future. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to park guidelines for the safety of both visitors and animals.

Following the incident, Paisley was gifted a stuffed giraffe from the park's souvenir shop to help alleviate any lingering fear from her unexpected encounter.