Mississippi Toddler Mauled To Death By Pit Bull

Jackson, MS (AHN) -- A 3-year-old boy is dead after being mauled by a pit bull Tuesday night.

Police told the Clarion Ledger that the boy was playing at a neighbor's house at about 9 p.m. Tuesday when he wandered into the carport where the dog was chained. The two-and-a-half year-old pit bull named Blue Eyes reportedly bit the toddler in the throat and upper torso, then dragged the child into the house where he died.

When police arrived on the scene, the pit bull was so aggressive that one officer shot and wounded the dog, who is now in the custody of animal control. They will keep the dog quarantined and under observation while a decision is made of whether to destroy the young dog.

Local authorities are still investigating, and told the Clarion Ledger that they wonder where the parents were, who let a 3-year-old outside unsupervised at 9 in the evening.

No charges have been yet been made as they question the owners of the dog, Shannon and Shaunda Reason, and the parents of the toddler, whose name has not been released.

According to a study sponsored by the US Government Centers For Disease Control, while Pit Bull Terriers only constitute two percent of all dogs in the U.S., they are responsible for 32 percent of all dog related killings of humans. Children make up 70 percent of the victims of mauling deaths by Pit Bulls.