Pit bulls taken into custody after 4-year-old killed in dog mauling

DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — A 4-year-old boy is dead after being mauled by a dog while playing in his grandmother’s backyard in Detroit.

The boy’s family is asking for prayers as they continue to seek answers about the attack.

“He was full of life, a sweet, gentle soul,” said Monique Grant, the aunt of 4-year-old Lovell Anderson

Grant said their family doesn’t yet know exactly whose dog attacked Lovell.

“To our knowledge, the neighbor’s dog jumped the gate and attacked my nephew. We’re just asking for everybody’s prayers right now,” she said.

Detroit police said the attack happened just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday in the 9300 block of Pierson Street. They said they took two pit bulls into the custody of animal control. Lovell’s aunts said one of those dogs is their grandmother’s pet.

Police said the attack was gruesome, and Lovell’s family member tried to intervene.

“She actually had to pull the child away because there was a dog that mauled the child, tried to pull the child under the gate of the fence. And she was pulling the child back,” said Cmdr. Arnold Williams of Detroit Police Department’s Sixth Precinct.

Williams said when police and EMS arrived, they determined the boy was dead at the scene.

The family’s lawyer said this is an all too common tragedy, and they will be working to get justice for Lovell and his family.

A number of neighbors in the area said there has been a recent issue with dogs roaming the neighborhood. One woman said she called animal control multiple times, but nothing was done.

They said some of the fences in the area are makeshift or aren’t high enough to keep dogs inside.