Florida dog attack leaves 6-year-old boy dead
A 6-year-old boy died after he was attacked by the family dog, police in Florida said Wednesday.
Police officers in the city of North Port, in Sarasota County, rushed to a home on the 2700 block of Badger Lane on Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. after reports of a dog bite, officials said. The wounded boy was flown to a hospital with "extensive traumatic injuries." He was then transferred to a second hospital, where he died.
The dog, a 3-year-old pit bull mix, was taken by the Sarasota County Animal Services, police said. The boy and the dog lived together in the same home. Police don't know of any previous incidents involving the dog's behavior.
"Our hearts are broken for this young child and his family," North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said. "As a father and pet owner, I know this is one of the worst tragedies you can imagine."
There have been several deadly dog attacks across the U.S. this year. In May, a woman was killed and an 8-year-old child was injured in a dog attack in Indiana. In Iowa, a baby was killed and a woman was seriously injured earlier in May.
Dog attacks in Louisiana and Idaho in January left children dead. In February, a man in his 80s was killed and three others were hurt in a Texas dog attack. A Pennsylvania woman died after she was attacked by a neighbor's dog in March.