Toddler mauled by pitbull terrier, ripping ‘chunks of flesh’ in the attack

A four-year-old toddler was so severely injured when a pitbull terrier attacked her that chunks of flesh were ripped from her tiny body.

THE TODDLER SUSTAINED MORE THAN 15 OPEN WOUNDS

Amorey Coetzee (4) sustained more than 15 large open wounds over her body.

What should have been a usual walk to the tuckshop for sweets turned almost deadly for the group of children when a pitbull terrier started attacking them in Krugersdorp on Saturday.

According to Willem Coetzee, his three children, Amorey, Verushka (10), and Diwan (8) were given money to quickly go and buy sweets at the tuck shop down the road on Saturday afternoon.

WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON?

“We were busy at home when all of a sudden my son came running up to me, shouting something. I could not hear what he was saying, but I knew something was wrong, and I just started running.”

Coetzee said he found his eldest daughter crying hysterically and screaming, standing in the street with her little sister Amorey in her arms.

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“She just kept saying dad the dog bit us. I tried my best, but he bit Amorey and me.”

Coetzee said he could see that Amorey was severely injured as she was bleeding profusely.

“I took off my shirt and tried to cover the visible wounds as I was running home with her in my arms and Verushka with me. Once we reached the house, I gave Amorey to my wife, Martie, and I ran back to check where the dog was as I was scared that it would attack someone else.”

He said another boy, 10-year-old Deon Ntlatseng, was also attacked and injured by the pitbull terrier.

Coetzee said when he got to the place where the children had been attacked, he found the aggressive dog still there.

“As I reached the spot, the dog stormed me and wanted to attack me, but I hit it with my fists as hard as I could, and it retreated.”

THE GATE OF THE HOUSE WAS ALLEGEDLY LEFT OPENED

“I found that gate of the house where the pitbull is kept was open. The owner was on the scene. I was furious and kept asking him, how the hell do you leave a gate open with such an aggressive dog.”

According to Coetzee, the owner did not respond.

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The neighbourhood watch treated all the injured children before they were rushed to a nearby hospital.

“We found several bits of Amorey flesh on the t-shirt we used to wrap the bleeding wounds,” said a shocked Coetzee.

Four-year-old Amorey was admitted to the hospital while the other injured children received stitches and treatment for their wounds.

An emotional and tired Martie said Amorey would be transferred to another hospital on Monday for plastic surgery and skin grafts.

LONG ROAD OF RECOVERY AHEAD FOR TODDLER

She said her tired and traumatised little blonde girl is in excruciating pain, and it will be a long road to recovery.

Veronica Sithole, the mother of 10-year-old Deon, was also very upset on Sunday.

Deon received more than ten stitches on his arm and leg.

“This is the second time that this dog has attacked children in the neighbourhood, and nothing has been done about it, and look what has happened now.”

Both families were in the process of opening a case with the police. The owner of the pitbull terrier could not be contacted for comment yet.