8-Month-Old Infant Killed by Dogs

The dog attack involving three pitbulls happened Thursday evening in Lemon Grove

An infant boy was mauled and killed by up to three dogs Thursday evening, according to the sheriff's department.

Authorities said the dog attack involving three pitbulls happened just before 5 p.m. on the 3500-block of West Street in Lemon Grove.

Deputies responded to the attack and when they arrived, a woman was holding an injured 8-month-old baby boy. Deputies requested homicide investigators at the scene.

By Thursday night, sheriffs confirmed the infant involved in the dog attack had died at 6:06 p.m., shortly after being transported to Rady Children’s Hospital.

As of Friday morning, no arrests were made in the case, said Lt. Larry Nesbit with the Sheriff's Department.

Neighbor Regina Marlow said she was shocked when they found out about the attack.

"I can’t even imagine losing a child and to know that a family pet did it," Marlow said. "That’s horrific. I can’t even imagine what the family would be going through."

Another neighbor Deirdra Canty said the dogs have been known to attack cats before.

"I don’t think that a dog like a pit bull, rottweiler, large dogs should be around little infants," Canty said.

Authorities confirmed a total of three pitbulls were hauled away at the scene by Animal Control officers.

This is the youngest victim of a fatal dog attack that the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is aware of, Nesbit said.

"They were aggressive," said Nesbit. "They were restrained by animal control officers with the tools they have."

The three male pit bulls are being quarantined and will be euthanized if an investigation deems the dogs are dangerous.

A Chula Vista Animal Facility spokesperson said they believe the dogs belong to either the mom or the roommate, but neither person has stepped forward to claim ownership of the dogs.

The infant's identity -- or the name of the boy's parents -- has not yet been released.

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