Infant Attacked by Pit Bull Identified, Dog Put to Sleep

The dog responsible for mauling to death an 8-month-old infant last week was euthanized, Animal Control officials said.

Authorities first said the dog attack involved three pitbulls just before 5 p.m. on the 3500-block of West Street in Lemon Grove on Thursday.

After an investigation of the incident, detectives determined only one of the three pitbulls seized by animal control authorities was involved in the child's death.

That dog was put down Tuesday morning, a Chula Vista Animal Control spokesperson told NBC 7 San Diego. The other two were returned to the owner.

The name of the baby killed is Tyzhel Latella McWilliams, according a statement from the Sheriff's Department released Tuesday.

When deputies arrived to the home, a woman was holding an injured 8-month-old baby boy. Deputies requested homicide investigators at the scene.

By Thursday night, sheriffs confirmed the infant involved in the dog attack had died at 6:06 p.m., shortly after being transported to Rady Children’s Hospital.

As of Friday morning, no arrests were made in the case, said Lt. Larry Nesbit with the Sheriff's Department.

The case has been submitted to the District Attorney's office for review, but animal control did not recommend any charges.

Neighbor Regina Marlow said she was shocked when they found out about the attack.

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"I can’t even imagine losing a child and to know that a family pet did it," Marlow said. "That’s horrific. I can’t even imagine what the family would be going through."

Another neighbor Deirdra Canty said the dogs have been known to attack cats before.

"I don’t think that a dog like a pit bull, rottweiler, large dogs should be around little infants," Canty said.

This is the youngest victim of a fatal dog attack that the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is aware of, Nesbit said.

"They were aggressive," said Nesbit. "They were restrained by animal control officers with the tools they have."