5-year-old Florida girl needs 50 stitches in face after dog attack
A brave but traumatized Florida girl is recovering from extensive injuries this week after a brutal dog attack, according to reports.
The 5-year-old’s father, Florian Becker, said his wife and daughter were walking in a Fort Lauderdale park Friday when the owner of a dog invited kids to pet it.
“My daughter went up and pet him, and all of a sudden, the dog turned and bit her in her face,” Becker said, according to WSVN.
The mauling required 50 stitches and staples to the child’s face, neck and shoulders, leaving her “absolutely traumatized,” Becker said.
His wife, who was present during the attack, tried to pry the dog off her child.
“My wife was shocked and screamed, tried to pull the dog back by its collar, and the collar broke,” Becker said. “The dog attacked again, this time more viciously, and she was grabbing the dog and fighting it back, holding on to it, screaming at the woman to take control of her dog.”
The frantic mother finally managed to pull her girl away and rushed her to a local hospital emergency room.
While the little girl suffered extensive cuts, Becker said she was fortunate not to sustain damage to her eyes.
He told Local 10 that she’s struggling to understand the assault, and faces a long road to recovery.
The dad ripped the dog owner for failing to take control of the situation as it unfolded.
“The owner of the dog didn’t take control of the situation, unfortunately, and my wife had to basically jump in and wrestle the dog away while my little girl was bleeding on the ground,” he told the outlet.
The animal’s owner left the scene but has since been identified, according to reports.
The dog, whose breed is unknown, has been turned over to animal control but it was unclear Tuesday if any charges will be filed in the case.