ALTON — An 8-year-old girl is in stable condition after being attacked by her family dog at approximately 7:34 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in the 1800 block of Sycamore, according to Alton Police.
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Alton Police said a neighbor called 9-1-1, reporting that the child had been bitten by the dog, was bleeding, and that other children were unable to remove the dog from her. The neighbor also mentioned that the injured girl was the only person left inside the house but did not feel safe entering to check on her.
Police said when officers arrived, they found the dog in the street with the neighbor and two other children who were in the home at the time of the incident. The dog had blood on its face but appeared calm. The neighbor held onto its collar as officers entered the residence.
Inside, officers discovered the 8-year-old girl in a locked bathroom on the second floor. They forced open the door and found her lying in the tub, covered in blood. While officers provided aid to the girl, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel reported that the dog had escaped from the neighbor and was attacking Alton Fire Department personnel outside the home.
Officers made several attempts to secure the dog to allow EMS access to the residence. However, the dog aggressively approached the officers and continued to prevent EMS entry. All less-lethal methods to control the dog, including coercion into a vacant bedroom, physical restraint, and multiple Taser deployments, were unsuccessful.
With EMS unable to safely reach the injured girl, officers were forced to euthanize the dog. EMS then quickly entered the home and determined that the severity of the girl’s injuries necessitated air evacuation to a St. Louis hospital for treatment.
In the last statement, the family reports that the girl is stable and has been admitted to the St. Louis hospital for observation.
The incident remains under investigation by Alton Police and Alton Animal Control.
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