An Orange County toddler was attacked and killed by her family's longtime pet pit bull after she wandered into an area where the animal was chained, authorities said yesterday.
The child, who would have been 2 years old next month, was found by a family member a short distance from
Sheriff Mark Amos said the girl's mother told deputies she had been preoccupied for a short period of time, then noticed the child was not in the house and went to look for her.
The Sheriff's Office received a call around 6:40 p.m. When deputies arrived a short time later, they found the girl unresponsive, with multiple injuries over her body, Amos said.
The girl was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:11 p.m.
The family surrendered the dog to Orange County Animal Control and it was euthanized, officials said.
The Sheriff's Office did not release the name of the child or her family yesterday, at the family's request. According to Amos, the family lives in the Mountain Track Road area in the southern part of the county.
The dog had been a family pet for 10 years. Amos said his office had not received any previous complaints about the animal.
The sheriff said the investigation is ongoing and no decision has been made about charges.
Robin Knepper: 540/972-5701
Email: rknepper@earthlink.net