SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An Illinois toddler has died after a family dog attacked her, authorities said.
According to WICS and WAND, the incident occurred Thursday night at a home on Indiana Avenue in Springfield. Family members said the pit bull-Patterdale terrier mix was eating from its food bowl when 1-year-old A’myrikal Hull came close, the news outlets reported. The dog then attacked the toddler, biting her head, Springfield police said.
Emergency crews rushed the child to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before 9:30 p.m., authorities said.
Cory Painter, the grandmother of A’myrikal’s sibling, told WICS that the dog had never been aggressive and was the toddler’s “best friend.” Sangamon County Animal Control currently is monitoring the dog for possible rabies, the news station reported.
Springfield police and the Sangamon County coroner continue to investigate the case but have not made any arrests, WICS reported.
Painter has started a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with funeral expenses. Learn more here.