4-Year-Old Boy's Arm Torn Off After Trying To Pet Pit Bull Puppies At Grandma's Home

A 4-year-old Oklahoma child is recuperating in the hospital after being mauled by a pit bull in his grandmother's pen on Friday night. He lost his right arm in the incident, with one of the puppies reportedly found chewing on it, Tecumseh police said.

According to Axel Foster’s grandmother, the little boy put his hand inside the pen to pet some puppies when he lost his arm. Immediately calling for help, the family subsequently saw police coming to their aid, according to KFOR.

When a cop arrived at the Tecumseh home, he found the toddler’s grandmother in the driveway. At the time, the boy was already missing his right arm just below the shoulder, police said.

The officer would then apply a tourniquet to the wound, with Tecumseh firefighters arriving minutes later to assist with the equipment, the New York Post noted.

“I’ve seen dog bites in the past and experienced pretty brutal dog bites with children but never a complete amputation,” Chief JR Kidney of the Tecumseh Police Department said.

“The child’s arm was still in the pen,” he added.

In a police report, the responding cop, Officer Aaron McCormick, noted the child's missing arm was still inside the pen. One of the puppies was chewing on it, he added. However, when authorities, including animal control, came to the home to retrieve the arm, the dog started exhibiting aggressive behavior.

Ultimately, the dog had to be put down and was shot and killed.

Meanwhile, Axel’s mom, Destiny McDow, told the media her son was taken to OU Medical Center to have his arm reattached.

“When we got [to the hospital], the nurses confirmed his arm was dismembered from his body," she said, recalling the incident. “I don’t know what he’s going through. I never went through it. But he’s only a child. What if he doesn’t make it through?”

According to the Daily Mail, the Tecumseh Police Department and the Department of Human Services are working hand in hand to determine if the boy was being properly supervised at the time of the incident. If not, his grandparents on the father's side may face charges of child neglect.