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Waxhaw Pit Bull Attack Leaves 5-Year-Old Dead and Her Grandmother with Serious Injuries

5-year-old girl McKayla Woodard has died from injuries she sustained this morning during a Waxhaw, North Carolina dog attack involving two pit bulls. Her grandmother, who tried to rescue her from the dogs, is alive but with serious injuries.

A family member of McKayla?s says that the Union, North Carolina dog mauling happened as the young girl tried to get into the fenced yard next to her home. The two pit bulls belonged to neighbor Michael Gordon. Police have since shot them dead. It is not known at this time why they were running loose in the area.

Media outlets have said that McKayla sustained multiple dog bite wounds around her neck?an area of the body where young children are especially vulnerable to serious dog attack injuries. One reason for this is that the neck is an area on kids that is not difficult for a dog to reach. Children are also vulnerable to dog bite injuries on their lips, cheeks, head, ears, and nose. According to research published in 2009 in the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, pit bulls were the most likely culprits when it came to inflicting these types of dog bite injuries to kids. Injuries to the head and face can result in permanent disfigurement, severe pain, scarring, and, in some cases, death.

North Carolina?s contributory negligence law can make it challenging for victims and their families to obtain damages from liable parties, which is just one reason why you should consult with an experienced Union County, North Carolina dog bite law firm.

Pit bulls kill 5-year-old girl, attack grandmother in Waxha, Charlotte Observer, January 12, 2011

Pit bulls kill 5-year-old, maul her grandmother, WCNC, January 12, 2011

Analysis of Dog Bites in Children Who Are Younger Than 17 Years, Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Dog Bites A Particular Threat To Young Children, Especially As Temperatures Rise, Science Daily, March 2, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Dog Bites, Nolo

DogsBite.org

Full post as published by North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog on January 12, 2011 (boomark / email).