Four-Year-Old Girl Seriously Injured By Pit Bull, Owner Cited

On July 20, police said that a 4-year-old girl who suffered severe personal injuries when a pit bull bit her on the face the prior week continued to be listed in serious condition at Riley’s Children Hospital in Indianapolis.

According to police, on July 16, 4-year-old Damonica Paul was in the yard of a neighbor when the neighbor’s dog attacked her.

The most recent report police had received as of July 20 said that Paul was receiving treatment for serious injuries to her face, particularly to the nose area, that have affected her breathing.

The Elkhart County Humane Society took the dog and will hold it for a 10-day period, according Elkhart police spokesman Lt. Ed Windbigler. The dog’s owner, Tracy Crisler, was cited for failure to register a violent dog and failure to have the animal’s shots updated.

Also according to Windbigler, it was discovered on July 20 that the same dog was likely responsible for biting a 15-year-old boy in February.

Windbigler noted that it had originally been reported that another animal jumped the fence and bit the dog, which then bit the girl. However, the veterinarian’s investigation showed no signs of the dog being attacked or bitten.