2-Year-Old in Critical Condition After Mauled by Neighbor's Dog

UPDATE - February 19, 2024: According to a source close to the family, the dog was a Pit Bull and it terrorized the neighborhood, killing other people's pets.

HUDSON – A 2-year-old boy is fighting for his life today after a vicious dog attack left him with multiple head and face injuries.

The incident occurred on Thursday evening while the toddler was riding his bike in the street, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

The child was transported to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St, Petersburg for treatment.

During an interview on Fox 13 the child's grandmother Marlene Barnier said, "He did have a fractured skull, the dog from the bite, fractured the skull, they did have to do some surgery, brain surgery, to get the fragment out that broke, the fracture, it broke, and they had to go in and remove that." The child remains in critical condition.

Officials say the child's caretaker shot the dog to stop the attack, but they declined to identify the breed of the dog.

A GoFundMe has been established by family to help with medical bills.