Child remains hospitalized after dog attack in Donora

PENNSYLVANIA -- A young boy was flown to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh after being attacked by dogs in Donora, Washington County. Family members say 6-year-old Julius Harvey will likely remain in the hospital for the rest of the week.

"I love them. I do. They saved his life,"said Carla Swoger, Harvey's great aunt.

Swoger cried as she hugged one of the people who helped pull the dogs off of Harvey, Gary Hoover, Jr.

"He was screaming like I didn't know what to do after for him I wish I could have done more after because of the pain," Hoover said.

Family members say Harvey was in surgery until early Thursday morning having reconstructive surgery on one of his ears. The boy also suffered severe injuries to one of his arms.

"He's a trooper. He's our little soldier. He's got so much support," Swoger said. "We're just glad he's still with us."

Meanwhile, the home on Thompson Avenue in Donora now has a "danger" notice posted, which tells the public that the home is unsafe for occupancy and may not be entered. Specific reasons for the warning were not released by borough officials.

"And I looked out and this poor little boy he was in the yard laying on the ground," said neighbor Carol Kelemen lives down the street from where the attack happened.

Kelemen says she heard screaming and came out of her house to try and pull some of the dogs off of the boy. She received two bite wounds on one of her legs and was taken to the hospital.

"I would rather he got bit than he because he couldn't move. I guess my motherly instinct kicked in," Kelemen said.

Neighbor Roni Scott said she also heard Harvey screaming on Wednesday night and ran outside with a broom to help.

Through tears, she said, "I couldn't help him. I did all I could but I couldn't help him. His ear, his face, abdomen -- injuries all over. They ripped his coat off. His face was messed up pretty bad."

Donora Borough police officer William Dennison said he was in the right place at the right time. Dennison said he pulled the boy off the ground and carried him to Scott's house to get him out of danger.

"There was another lady being attacked at the same time, so I actually thought upon arrival that she was the owner of the dogs," said Dennison. "So after I got the child inside the house, I ran back out and I grabbed her and I also took her back into the house too."

That woman ended up being a neighbor, Carol Keleman, who was trying to help. Her son, George, said Keleman has three bite marks on her leg and was taken by ambulance to be treated at Monongahela Valley Hospital.

"After I got the lady back in the house, they eventually retreated back to the house," Dennison said about the dogs.

He said he pepper-sprayed some of the animals, which continued to bite and jump at him while he carried the young boy to safety.

Animal Control took eight dogs from the home and caged them. Police say at least four were involved in the attack.

Neighbors say a woman named Brandy Pritchard lived at the house with at least some of the dogs.
Donora police continue to investigate but have not said if any of the dogs' owners will face charges.

(WTAE Pittsburgh - Mar 27, 2014)