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| Jacob Walker, 3, is held by grandmother Becky Fortney. Jacob required two dozen facial stitches at Blessing Hospital after a pit bull attacked him Sunday. |
The attack took place at about 4:15 p.m. Sunday. Family members say Jacob Walker, 3, was attacked by the dog as he stood beside his mother, April Walker, and neither did anything to provoke the attack.
The pit bull is described as a large male, with a white head, tail, legs and black and brown on the sides, back and stomach. If the dog is located, residents are urged to stay away from the animal and call (217) 277-2145 or the 911 non-emergency dispatch number at (217) 222-9360.
April Walker was dropping a friend off at Fifth and Sycamore and was out of the vehicle with Jacob when the pit bull "came around the corner," April Walker's mother, Becky Fortney said.
"It went right between April's legs and took Jacob down to the ground," Fortney said. "She started kicking it and pulling it by the ears to pull the dog off of Jacob."
April Walker pulled her son up and put him on her shoulders, and she says the dog leaped in the air and grabbed her son's shirt, leaving marks on his back. April Walker then kneed the dog in the chest, knocking it back, and ran into her nearby vehicle.
The little boy required two dozen facial stitches at Blessing Hospital, including an area around the lip and under the nose that required stitches inside the mouth. He was at Blessing Hospital for about four hours and the sutures were done by a plastic surgeon, family says.
The little boy appeared to be in good spirits Tuesday afternoon.
"He is a real trooper," Fortney said.
Adams County Chief Deputy Fred Kientzle said a search has been conducted for the animal, and several pit bulls were found in the area but did not match the description.
Fortney said she and Adams County Animal Warden Jenny Benjamin knocked on doors in the Fifth and Sycamore area, but nobody seemed to know about the dog.
"We still don't know why the dog bit Jacob," Fortney said.
(Herald-Whig - July 17, 2012)
