A toddler was fatally mauled by his family’s dog on Friday in what the Placer County Sheriff’s Office called a “horrible tragedy.”
Deputies were called out to a home in Granite Bay shortly after 3 p.m. to a report that a dog had attacked a 13-month-old boy, according to a post on the Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page.
The toddler was rushed to a hospital where he died. Authorities have not released the name of the boy, who was his parents’ only child.
“This family has been completely devastated by what occurred,” Lt. Andrew Scott told KTLA sister station KTXL in Sacramento. “It’s a very emotional situation at this time.”
The little boy and the dog did not have contact prior to the deadly incident in the family’s living room, the station reported, citing deputies.
A family member was present the entire time and attempted to stop the unprovoked attack, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“The relative rescued the baby boy from the dog,” Scott said. “Right now we have no information that leads us to believe that there was any negligence on the part of anyone in the household.”
Animal Control has taken custody of the dog, which was described as a 6-year-old pit bull.
No additional information was immediately released.