4-Year-Old Critical After Pit Bull Attack
Wave 3 TV, www.Wave3.com
By James Zambroski
April 28th, 2004, HODGENVILLE, KY -- A 4-year-old girl remained in critical
condition at Kosair Children's Hospital Wednesday after being attacked by a
pit bull at her home in LaRue County Monday night. The LaRue County Sheriff
says it's the worst dog attack he's ever seen. WAVE 3 Investigator James
Zambroski reports.
Emily Stinnett remained in critical but stable condition Wednesday at Kosair
Hospital after undergoing emergency surgery. She was surrounded by family
members as well as questions over what triggered the family pet to turn into
a vicious attack dog that nearly mauled Emily to death.
LaRue County Dep. Sheriff Russell McCoy said the dog apparently tore off
part of Emily's scalp. "Kosair Children's contacted the Sheriff's office and
advised us that in order for the child to survive, we had to find the
missing piece to the scalp."
Emily Stinnett was playing on a swing set in the backyard of her dad's home
at the time of the attack. The family pet, a pit bull, was chained to a
stake nearby when the dog's chain tie-down pulled out of wet dirt.
Police say the animal struck without warning. "When the stepmother came
around to check on the little girl, the dog had already attacked her," said
Sheriff Bobby Shoffner. "The mother was unable to get the dog off the
child."
Frantic, the mother drove to a neighbor seeking help. Paramedics and LaRue
County Sheriff's officers soon raced to the scene.
Neighbor Pam Lynott described what happened next. "The ambulance stopped in
the road and asked me if I called the ambulance, and I said, 'no.' And then
I heard screaming from next door."
LaRue County Dep. Sheriff Russell McCoy arrived shortly thereafter. "The dog
had already retreated to his dog house," McCoy said. "He (Emily's father)
told me that the neighbor had shot at the dog and told me that the dog was
very aggressive and for me to put it down, so I went ahead and put the dog
down."
When a search of the property failed to turn up the little girl's scalp,
McCoy says police came to a grisly conclusion. "I couldn't find any
evidence, not even a hair. So then Sheriff Shoffner decided that the dog
probably had consumed it."
With Emily's life hanging in the balance, the officers did what they had to
do. "Since the dog was deceased, we went ahead and opened the dog up and
found the missing part of the girl's scalp in the dog's stomach."
Shoffner called it "the worst dog attack I've ever seen."
Police officials said it was too early to tell if any charges would be filed
in the case. The LaRue County Health Department planned to test the dog for
rabies on Wednesday. It will take about 10 days to get the test results.
A fund has been set up to help the family with medical and other expenses.
You can send donations to the Emily Stinnett Fund, Bank of Buffalo, P.O. Box
39, Buffalo, Ky. 42716.
