A Michigan 4-year-old boy who was “full of life” died after his family said he was attacked by their neighbor’s dog while playing in the backyard.
The child, Lovell Anderson, was in the yard at his grandmother’s residence in Detroit earlier this month, on Oct. 18, when the dog was able to get past her fence, Fox 2 reported.
The dog, which was described as a pit bull, dragged the child under the fence through a gap before mauling him.
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“The child was in his own backyard, pretty much doing what all kids do,” Detroit Police Department Commander Arnold Williams said, per WDIV. “So our support goes out to the family.”
Williams also urged people in the neighborhood to properly secure their pets and “make sure your dog can’t get out.” Animal control seized two dogs, including the one who attacked the child.
As the outlets reported, the family hired attorney Peter O’Toole to get justice for the tragic incident.
“The event was so horrific that people across the street could hear, and they were the ones that contacted authorities right away,” O’Toole told WDIV.
Anderson’s death has been heartwrenching for the family, especially his mother, who was not present when the attack happened, his aunt told Fox 2.
“My sister is truly distraught right now, at this moment. This is a very sad situation,” the aunt said. “As we know in Detroit, pit bulls [are] a big problem when you don’t have them trained properly, or tied up, or put in a gate – secured properly.”
She continued, “We live in a rural neighborhood. There’s kids roaming around, getting out of school right now. …That could have happened to any one of them.”
According to the reports, no one has been arrested, and an investigation is underway.
In a GoFundMe created a day after the incident, Anderson’s family called him “smart and handsome” and the “greatest son, nephew, grandson and cousin you will ever have,”
The parents have been raising money for the funeral and other related expenses. They raised $9,560 of their $12,000 goal.
