BATON ROUGE, La. – A 7-year-old girl died Friday in East Baton Rouge after being attacked by a neighbor’s dog.
Sadie Davila was playing outside her family’s home around 6:30 p.m. when the neighbor’s dog, a pit bull, got loose and “viciously attacked her,” according to arrest documents obtained by WBRZ.
Sadie was rushed to the hospital after a family member called the police but died as a result of her injuries, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
WBRZ reported that Sadie suffered severe skull damage in the attack.
The documents identified 20-year-old Erick Lopez as the dog’s owner and stated that he lived roughly 150 yards away from where the attack occurred.
“This is an awful, heart-breaking tragedy,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said in a post on Facebook. “My heart goes out to this family, and they will remain in my prayers.”
Vanessa Bloss, the principal at Sadie’s school Woodlawn Elementary, told WAFB that “from the day that her grandma came to register her, she just had a light inside of her that could not be contained.”
“She has these huge, huge brown doe eyes that just make you smile whenever you see her. And absolutely anybody who she comes into contact with just instantly falls in love with her,” Bloss said.
Animal Control officials told WBRZ the dog was found with blood on his face and mouth and that he was euthanized Friday evening. His body is being tested for rabies.
Lopez was not home at the time of the attack but did tell deputies that his dog was not on a leash and that he let the dog roam free before leaving his house, which is against the law in the parish.
Lopez was arrested following the attack. His bond was set at $7,500.