By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-23 17:51:13 | Updated at 2024-10-23 20:40:54
2 hours ago
A five-year-old girl from Kansas is fighting for her life in a medically induced coma one month after a pit bull brutally attacked her.
The victim, Aletha, was playing in her backyard on October 8 when her neighbor's dog viciously attacked her - leaving her with permanent brain damage.
The young girl suffered a skull fracture, a broken collarbone, a broken rib, and neck lacerations. She was rushed to Children's Mercy Hospital, where doctors put her into a coma after she lost significant amounts of blood and oxygen.
A GoFundMe put together by employees at Appliance Care Company in Belton, where her father, Thomas Frost works, has been updating the public on Aletha's health.
Aletha, 5, from Independence, Kansas is fighting for her life a month after a dog brutally attacked her
On Tuesday, Aletha's father, reported that doctors are beginning to bring Aletha out of the medically induced coma.
'There are moments when her eyes are open. She seems to look around the ceiling with confusion. She then looks at me as I'm talking to her, and will thereafter fade back to rest,' said Frost.
'We are always hopeful that Aletha will make a strong recovery. Everyday she makes improvements, even if they are small ones.'
Thomas' wife witnessed the dog jump over the fence into their yard and bite down on Aletha's neck as she was watching her daughter from the back porch.
Brien Pippen, owner of ACC, told the Kansas City Star that the dog owner finally came outside, jumped over the fence onto Thomas' property, and physically intervened to separate the dog from the little girl.
The young girl suffered a skull fracture , a broken collarbone, a broken rib, and neck lacerations
The dog owner reportedly pulled the dog's jaws off the child and then threw the dog back over the fence.
'Because of the loss of blood and oxygen, doctors fear Aletha may have suffered permanent brain damage,' ACC employee Andy Davies wrote on the fundraiser page.
Frost earns all of his money through commissions, and he has not left his daughter's side in the hospital, said Pippen.
'He's the type of guy that will give the shirt off his back,' Davies told Fox 4 KC. 'We knew they'd have a lot of expenses, medical, and probably some other stuff as well. So, we just want to help as much as we can.'
On Oct. 9, Aletha had surgery to relieve pressure on her brain from her injuries, which allowed heart started beating independently. However, she remained on a ventilator.
The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and Detective Taylor said specific details are not yet available. Police refused to say the dog's breed, but family members said online that it was a pit bull.
According to city spokesperson Rebecca Gannon, dogs in Independence are not required to be licensed.
Since 2017, the city has had sections in its code for 'Aggressive Dogs' and 'Vicious Dogs.' A decade earlier, a 'Dangerous Dogs' ordinance was enacted.
In August 2023, the City Council lifted the pit bull ban after a successful petition and amended the dangerous dog regulations.
The new ordinance prohibits residents from owning or allowing dangerous dogs on their property without a yearly permit.
She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors put her into a coma after she lost significant amounts of blood and oxygen
Pictured: Aletha when she was younger
Conditions include microchipping, spaying/neutering, and secure containment. Owners must display a warning sign and have at least $1 million in liability insurance.
A dog is classified as dangerous if it injures a person or another animal, or has a prior aggressive designation, though exceptions exist for dogs reacting to abuse or defending humans.
In 2023, 16 dogs were labeled aggressive, 14 dangerous, and four vicious in Independence.
The GoFundMe has raised $19,639 for Aletha's medical costs.
Cash and check donations are also being accepted at The Appliance Care Company's store.
