10-year-old boy mauled by pit bull in Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (KGO) -- A young boy from Antioch needed more than 100 stitches after a pit bull attacked him at his friend's home.

Hunter Kilbourn, 10, was playing video games with his friend when the attack happened. He was airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento where he was being treated. As of Monday evening, he had already undergone one surgery but had more to follow.

"He was lying on the floor and he was like, 'Mommy, am I going to die?' and I'm like, 'No baby, you're going to be fine. You're not going to die," recalled Hunter's mom Melody Ralls.

Ralls says her son had gone next door to play video games with a friend. According to police, the attack occurred as both boys were running up the stairs.

"On the right side of his face, the dog got him from here, going down here, and all the way across his ear, chopped his ear off. Basically, this part of this face is gone," she explained.

While she claims both dogs attacked her son, police say only one appears to be involved. The dog was immediately taken by Animal Control and will be held there pending a hearing.

When ABC7 News arrived Monday at the home where the incident occurred, the second dog could be seen looking out the window. As ABC7 approached the home, the owner took off with her son in the car.

A few hours later, that family taped a sign on the door that read, "It's been horrible. We've been in communication with our neighbors. Our prayers go out to them."

Police confirmed that the boy's friend was also hurt when his own dog turned on him as he tried to help Hunter.

"I saw them put him in the ambulance. It looked like he had a bandage on one of his hands, but that's all I saw," said neighbor Larry Bowers.

Other neighbors say there are many dogs on their street, but nothing like this has ever happened before. "It's just horrible. You always wonder, think what if, it could have been my child," Debbie Rodriguez said.

Hunter's mom said that before the attack happened, she was going to take Hunter to a wrestling match they had tickets for, to celebrate his birthday.

Animal Control is still investigating the incident.

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antioch, dog attack, children, animal, east bay news, lyanne melendez

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