GRAPHIC: Boy saves 6-year-old sister during dog attack: ‘I didn’t want her to die’
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM/Gray News) - A Michigan family says they are grateful their 6-year-old child is alive after she was attacked by a neighbor’s dog.
Rebecca Chitwood said everything stopped last Sunday when she received a call that her daughter was in the hospital.
“When I got the call, I just dropped everything and sped all the way to the hospital,” Chitwood said.
It’s the call no parent ever wants to get, answering the phone to the horrifying news that your child has been attacked by a dog and being rushed to the hospital.
“To me, that could mean anything. It could be a couple of puncture wounds, it could be what she’s experiencing now, it could’ve been even worse,” Chitwood said.
According to Chitwood, her kids were at their grandparents’ house playing in the backyard. The neighbor’s dog got into their yard and began biting her daughter, Lillian, on the face.
Chitwood said Lillian is recovering in the days since the attack but she remains in a lot of pain as the dog attack caused her numerous near-fatal wounds.
“There was a slice on her neck, and it was about three centimeters from severing the artery,” she said. “And another bite went all the way down on her face.”
Chitwood said there will be extensive nerve damage to her daughter’s face and doctors don’t know if more surgery will be needed.
But she is grateful for the quick actions of her son, Nicholas, who rushed to his sister’s aid and stopped the dog in the attack while getting them to safety.
“I didn’t want her to die,” Nicholas said.
Lillian added, “It was hard but I’m thankful for my brother to help me because if he didn’t, I would be dead by now.”
With a long road to recovery ahead, Chitwood is just happy the worst that could have happened didn’t happen.
“I’m very proud. He is the best big brother in the world,” Chitwood said.
The family has also set up a GoFundMe to help with Lillian’s medical expenses for Lillian.
The dog involved in the attack has since been euthanized by animal control.
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