2 weeks Ago By KABC
COVINA, Calif. (KABC) -- Neighbors on Monday expressed shock and horror after a 5-year-old girl was fatally mauled by two pet dogs in the backyard of her family's Covina-area home. The attack occurred around noon Sunday in the 2500 block of Palomino Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The girl was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. "The child had been around the dogs her entire life," sheriff's Lt. Steven De Jong said.
The attacking dogs were a 10-year-old Rottweiler and a 6-year-old Rottweiler-Weimaraner mix, authorities said. All four of the dogs who lived at the home were taken into custody by L.A.
County Animal Control officers. Ann Evans, who lives nearby, said she initially thought the dogs had attacked one of the family's neighbors. "At first we thought it might have been -- because they said something about the dogs getting loose -- that it was someone in the neighborhood other than that," Evans said.
"And then when we heard it was their own child -- you don't think about anything other than what happened." Detectives were investigating the child's death as "a very unfortunate, tragic accident," De Jong said. Neighbor Allison Cuevas said she felt "horrible for that family.
And I honestly feel like it's Christmas time, I think they have another child, and I just can't imagine that on my worst enemy. This is absolutely horrible." Cuevas, who lives on the same street as the victim, said she was unaware that the family owned Rottweilers.
"Everybody walks their dog," she told ABC7. "I've never once seen Rottweilers walking around. I was very, very surprised that their even was Rottweilers.
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