2-year-old boy stable after pit bull bites his face in Pacoima
A 2-year-old boy was in stable condition today at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles the day after half his face was bitten by a pit bull in Pacoima, police said.
The toddler was in the backyard of his home in the 13000 block of Louvre Street, playing under his grandmother's supervision, when the family pit bull "for unknown reasons turned around and tackled the child" Wednesday morning, said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Rich Suviate.
"The dog bit him from the bridge of his nose right underneath his eye socket, down the bridge of his nose, through his mouth and the entire cheek area. It was a very, very nasty injury," Suviate said. At the same time, he said the doctor at Childrens Hospital said "there was no nasal cavity or sinus cavity injuries, which I guess is huge."
The attack took place shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. The boy's grandmother immediately jumped on the dog to pull it off the boy, Suviate said. She sustained "some serious bite injuries" including to the back of her right leg and thigh, and punctures to her hand and forearm, he said.
Los Angeles firefighters arrived at the home and had to use a fire extinguisher to spray the pit bull and another dog barking in the front yard, in order to get to the boy, Suviate said.
The boy was airlifted by helicopter from a nearby park and the grandmother traveled with him to the hospital, Suviate said.
"The child's in stable condition, with non-life-threatening injuries, but he will need some plastic surgery to reconstruct his face a little bit," Suviate said.
Police did not know today whether the second dog, also a family pet, was part of the attack. Ownership of both dogs was fully relinquished to animal control officials by the grandfather Wednesday afternoon. Family members said neither animal had any history of violence.
"It was totally unpredictable, and just for no reason," Suviate said. "The child wasn't playing rough with the dog or hit the dog or anything of that nature. The dog, for whatever reason, attacked the boy."
tami.abdollah@latimes.com
