Pit bull kills two-year-old girl near Pittsburgh

Police say a 2-year-old girl has died after being mauled by a pit bull in a Pittsburgh suburb.

Police say the dog attacked Paylynn Devaugh inside a home in West Mifflin around 8:45 p.m. Sunday.

The girl was pronounced dead at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.

Police say Paylynn lived in nearby Forest Hills.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday. The investigation is continuing.

West Mifflin is about 10 miles southeast of downtown Pittsburgh.

According to the website dogbites.org, which tracks "dangerous dog breeds":

  • 42 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2014. Despite being regulated inMilitary Housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 64% (27) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population.2
  • Together, pit bulls (27) and rottweilers (4), the second most lethal dog breed, accounted for 74% of the total recorded deaths in 2014. This same combination also accounted for 74% of all fatal attacks during the 10-year period of 2005 to 2014.
  • Annual data from 2014 shows that 48% (20) of the fatality victims were children 13-years and younger, and 52% (22) were adults, 20-years and older. Of the total adults killed by dogs in 2014, 73% (16) were ages 50-years and older.
  • In 2014, 19% (8), of all dog bite fatality victims were either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner when the fatal attack occurred, down from 38% in 2013. Children 6-years and younger accounted for 88% (7) of these deaths.
You've read 3 of 3 free articles. Subscribe to continue.
Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
What is the Monitor difference? Tackling the tough headlines – with humanity. Listening to sources – with respect. Seeing the story that others are missing by reporting what so often gets overlooked: the values that connect us. That’s Monitor reporting – news that changes how you see the world.
QR Code to Pit bull kills two-year-old girl near Pittsburgh
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2015/0223/Pit-bull-kills-two-year-old-girl-near-Pittsburgh
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe
CSM logo

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us