Family members arrested in fatal pit bull mauling of 2-year-old boy

CALIFORNIA -- Police have arrested two family members of a 2-year-old boy who was mauled to death by a group of pit bulls in Colton on Monday.

San Bernardino County jail records show Marco Zamudio, 23, and Eustulia Zamudio, 42, were arrested on suspicion of child endangerment hours after their 2-year-old relative, Samuel Zamudio of Rialto, was attacked in a backyard in Colton.

KNBC-TV identified the pair as Samuel’s uncle and grandmother. Each is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

“They weren’t keeping track of their pit bulls,” neighbor Monica Cancino told KTLA-TV. “I understand there was four at one time. And I recently heard there was five.”

Samuel was pronounced dead at a local hospital Monday night after he was attacked by as many as five of the dogs, which were described as pit bull mixes.

The attack took place about 5 p.m. at the home of the child's uncle in the 700 block of Citrus Street, Colton police said.

The boy was being watched by his uncle when he climbed out of a window into the backyard, where he was attacked, according to KTLA. The boy’s family was looking for him for about 20 minutes before they found him severely injured in the backyard, KABC-TV reported.

Relatives called 911 and the boy was rushed to a local hospital, where he died about an hour later. The child was "suffering from extensive wounds to the upper body," police said in a statement.

An autopsy was pending.

The dogs were taken into custody by animal control officers, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Det. S. McFarland at (909) 370-5000

(Los Angeles Times - Sept 24, 2013)

Earlier:

• 2-year-old dies after pit bull attack in Colton