West Cocoa, Florida, child 'severly' mauled by pit bull

FLORIDA -- A 6-year-old boy is still in the hospital Monday with his family by his side, after a pit bull attacked him and ripped open his scalp over the weekend.

The child was bitten by a neighbor's dog in the neighbor's yard, sheriff spokesman Cpl. Dave Jacobs said.

 

Neighbors said the dog has been a menace in the neighborhood.

Javien Edwards, 6, was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando after the attack in his Cocoa neighborhood.

"A neighbor said his scalp or his skull was showing. Yeah, I think it was up here," said Cleo Woods, Javien's grandfather.

  

 

"He's in stable condition, and we're just requesting continuing prayers for his recovery," said Tyaka Woods, Javien's aunt.


Family members said Javien was playing in the yard where the dog lives when the attack occurred.

"It's really tragic, because the dog is a neighborhood nuisance," Woods said.

A nearby resident said she's been afraid the dog will attack her elderly mother.

"It charges the gate. So she walks with a stick to make sure that if he does get out of the gate, she has something to protect herself with," said neighbor Pam Hall.

The dog is now in a shelter, quarantined.

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office is investigating whether the owner will be fined. A serious bite from a dog can result in a $500 fine. If the dog is ruled dangerous, it could be put down.

The dog's owner has the option to turn it over to authorities, or to keep it.  Keeping a dog that's declared dangerous requires secure fencing and extra insurance.

(WESH - Oct 26, 2015)