WILLIS, Texas – An 18-month-old boy and his mother are recovering at Memorial Hermann Hospital after being attacked by a pit bull at their home in the Montgomery County town of Willis.
Animal Control officers said Priscilla Rodriguez and her son, Anthony, were outside when Rodriguez went back into the home to get a glass of water.
"The child was able to get out of the wagon that it was in and get close enough to the dog that the dog was able to attack and bite the child," said Montgomery County Animal Control Officer, Tim Holifield.
Holifield said Rodriguez walked out just as the attack began and sprang into action to save her son's life.
"As the mother was trying to protect the child and get the child away from the attacking dog, she too sustained some injuries," said Holifield.
Holifield said they're still not sure what provoked the dog, but believe it was able to break it's chain. Family members told Local 2 the dog belongs to a cousin who is currently in jail.
Local 2 spoke with Rodriguez via phone from her son's hospital room and she said her son is out of surgery and expected to recover. Rodriguez said she is grateful her son is alive and did not do anything different than any other mother would do to protect their child.
This is the second time in less than a week a child has been attacked by a pit bull under similar circumstances in Montgomery County. Over the weekend, police said a dog attacked and killed a 4-year-old boy in the community of Pinehurst. Police said in that incident the child climbed a fence and wandered into the yard where the dog was chained.
Both animals are in the custody of Animal Control and it will be up to a judge to decide whether both dogs will be euthanized.