A 7-year-old boy from Oklahoma was mauled to dying by a household canine final week, native authorities say.
The boy, identified by KOCO and family as James McNeelis, was reported lacking on Oct. 20 round 7:20 p.m. from his dwelling south of Kiefer, lower than 15 miles south of Tulsa, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. When authorities arrived on the scene, a member of the family of McNeelis positioned him on the property.
“The kid was pronounced deceased at roughly 7:35 pm. The preliminary investigation signifies the kid was attacked by a household pet (canine),” the assertion learn.
Officers mentioned the kid’s dying is being investigated alongside the state’s health worker. The Creek County Sheriff’s Workplace didn’t instantly reply to USA TODAY’s request to remark.
Man mauled by a 500-pound bear:He survived the attack by kicking it
Bee swarm:1 dead, several injured in Arizona after attacks
McNeelis’ household told 2 News Oklahoma the boy’s father had discovered the boy within the yard the place he was taking part in with the canine, which they mentioned is a sheltie-corgi combine.
They added the household took the canine in as a stray and had by no means been aggressive within the three weeks they’d the canine earlier than the assault. Authorities mentioned the canine is being held at an animal management facility.
Neighbor Shannon Edison told KOTV her household was celebrating a birthday on their porch and after they heard a commotion taking place close by, they knew “one thing was fallacious.”
“As a mom, that scream, if anyone has ever heard that scream, that scream,” Edison mentioned. “It was gut-wrenching. No household ought to ever need to undergo one thing like that.”
In a Fb submit from Saturday, Michael McNeelis, the boy’s father, spoke about his son.
“He was so lively and lightweight and he was going to alter the world,” he wrote. “His mild will change the world. We really feel alone and misplaced with out him and we’re doing all we will nevertheless it’s simply arduous. The whole lot simply hurts with out my little boy right here.”
In 2020, 46 individuals had been killed by canines in america, 15 of whom had been youngsters 9 or beneath, according to Dogs Bite. The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg says there are roughly 800,000 canine bites every year that require medical consideration, and greater than 50% of canine chew victims are youngsters.
Observe Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
