Pit Bull Attacks Mom, Two Kids While Helping Elderly Neighbor With Dementia

Bethany Hastings and her two children Lainey,4, and Wesley,2, were attacked by a pit bull while helping a neighbor with dementia return home.

Mommy Bethany held the pit bull for 15 minutes while they waited for help to arrive. Hastings and her son were released from the hospital that night, but Lainey, who suffered severe injuries, had to be admitted for four days. Today reported that she spent two days in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Attacked by the neighbor's dog

The mom and her two kids were about to play outside at 6:30 PM when they noticed an elderly neighbor had wandered into their driveway. The woman could not make it back to her home, prompting Hastings and her children to escort the woman home using their golf cart.

Her pit bull was loose when they got to the older woman's place. He came running over to the family and jumped in the golf cart, Hasting said.

The dog initially launched at her two-year-old son and then her four-year-old daughter.

The mom, a nurse, said her son was seated between her and the elderly lady. The girl was in the backseat. Then, the dog looked at her son and lunged at him twice. She then heard her daughter scream and saw that the dog went around to her and pulled her down to the ground.

When the dog tried to lunge at her daughter again, she was able to restrain him and hold him down until they could get help. Since they live in a rural area, 10 minutes had passed before a neighbor drove by and noticed the incident.

The neighbor took the children to this truck, and about five minutes later, another neighbor showed up and took the dog from her. At the time, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and Animal Control had shown up.

Hastings said she could hold the dog for 15 minutes until help arrived, adding that during that time, the dog continued to lunge at her.

The mother said she did not have a choice. The dog will have gotten her or the kids again if she let go.

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People say the mom somehow managed to find her phone and call 911 as there were no other neighbors home to help while being repeatedly bitten by the dog on her face and from fire ants all over her body. She also had to endure watching her children screaming for her while they bled while waiting for help.

Lainey is feeling well, the mom said but will have to go through multiple facial surgeries next year.

There is no telling what provoked the dog

Hasting said that there is no telling what provoked the dog. She said she could not think of anything that could have caused the dog to attack them. She and her kids are no strangers to the animal and had "fine" interactions with the dog in the past.

Authorities report that the dog was euthanized, as per WYFF. The mom said she hopes her story can spread awareness on safety as a dog owner to prevent such incidents in the future.

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