9-year-old girl recovering after being attacked by pit bull while riding bike

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 9-year-old girl is recovering after her family said she was attacked by a pit bull Sunday afternoon while riding her bike in a northwest Charlotte neighborhood.

Mary Simpson told Channel 9 that her granddaughter, Harmoni, and a friend were riding their bikes on Blenheim Road near South Hoskins Road when a pit bull pulled Harmoni off her bike and attacked.

Simpson said Harmoni’s friend ran and flagged down neighbor Robert Taylor who used a trash can and a bicycle to beat the dog off the girl.

“When I got down here, the little girl was laying in the street with the dog clamped to her head," Taylor said.

Harmoni was seriously hurt and taken to Levine Children’s Hospital. Her family said she is recovering, but lost a lot of blood during the attack.

“She had a bite on the top of her neck," Simpson said. "She had both biceps bitten, a bite in the center of her chest as well.”

Animal Control took the dog. Simpson said she wants it put down.

Woman attacked by neighbor's dog worried it wasn't put down Woman attacked by neighbor's dog worried it wasn't put down

Channel 9′s Glenn Counts spoke to the woman who lives at the home where the dog was chained up. She said the dog isn’t aggressive.

“I go feed the dog," she said. "I’m not afraid of it. Like I said, I apologize to the family, I apologize to the little girl.”

She said the dog’s owner lives out of state.

Harmoni’s family said in addition to physical therapy, she may also have to get rabies shots.

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