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3 Year Old Girl Critical After Attacked By Uncle's Dog

By Kristen Johanson

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 3-year-old child is in the hospital Saturday night after being attacked by a dog in Philadelphia.

Police say the toddler was visiting her great-grandmother in Cobbs Creek, when she was attacked by her uncle's dog.

It happened around 5 p.m. on 5900 block of Washington Ave.

The child was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with bite wounds to her head and eye.

Lt. John Walker with Southwest Detectives said the dog didn't have any behavioral issues in the past.

"The great-grandmother was watching the 3-year-old and the dog comes in from the back." Said Walker, "The great-grandmother has the baby on her lap and for some reason, the dog which is a cane corso mastif, bites the child and the grandmother tries to push him away and is bit during the process."

The 82-year-old was taken to Mercy Hospital with a puncture wound to the hand. The 3-year-old remains in critical but stable condition.

Family members stated that the dog had never bitten anyone prior to this incident. PACCA removed the dog from the location.

The owner of the dog was out of town at the time of the incident.

 

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