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Dog attack leaves Daytona Beach boy badly injured
Four-year-old King Perkins was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital after a family member’s pitbull attacked him, unprovoked.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Four-year-old King Perkins was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital after a family member’s pitbull attacked him, unprovoked.
What Happened:
King was at a family member's house when, according to his great-aunt Wendi Ross, someone opened the door to the room the dog was in. According to Ross, it charged out and lunged directly at the little boy.
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Thanks to the efforts of his cousin and uncle, the dog was snatched off before he did more damage. He's being treated for significant injuries to his face and legs. The family is on the road to recovery alongside him, as he is still recovering both mentally and physically.
What they're saying:
Ross explained that the kids were in the living room, playing and making noise at the time of the attack.
"I don’t know if that triggered him in some way, but something went wrong, terribly wrong." she added.
An uncle pulled the dog off, but King was already badly injured.
"Not knowing his condition and if he was going to make it or not… that was really terrifying," Ross said.
A couple of weeks and numerous stitches later, Ross said King has shown resilience.
"He’s running around, playing. He’s doing a lot better," Ross told FOX 35 News.
She said the road to recovery will take some more time though.
"He’s going to have to have some therapy, because he does have a lot of fear now of dogs, even the word ‘dog,’" Ross said. "He’s on alert."
The Latest:
After a magistrate hearing for the dog owner was scheduled, in order to initiate the dangerous dog protocols, the owner ultimately decided to surrender the animal and have it euthanized.
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King still has a few more procedures to address his facial injuries. That's in addition to the physical therapy he’s undergoing for his legs.
The bites and scratches were dangerously close to his eyeballs, but according to Wendi he is expected to make a full recovery and his vision was not impacted.
What's next:
Daytona Beach Police are investigating the incident, though no charges have been filed. King’s family is raising money to deal with the medical expenses.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Daytona Beach Police Departmet and Wendi Ross.