Toddler’s skull was exposed, ear ripped off in SC dog attack, deputies say

A pit bull was euthanized after attacking a 3-year-old boy, who is hospitalized with serious injuries, according to Richland County officials.

The gruesome attack happened last week at a home on Spotswood Drive in the St. Andrews area of Columbia, according to an incident report from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. That’s just off Broad River Road near Interstate 20.

A responding deputy wrote in the incident report that he could see the 3-year-old boy’s skull exposed after the attack. The boy was responsive and breathing when he was taken by ambulance to the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital.

The boy’s great aunt told deputies she is watching the boy and another toddler while their mother moved to Columbia from Atlanta, according to the report.

A black and white mix breed dog and a brown pit bull were in the back yard when deputies arrived. The pit bull was already out of the yard when the great aunt and the two children arrived home from the store, deputies said. She put the toddler on the porch, and he ran to the side of the house where the dog was.

The relative said she then heard screaming and saw the pit bull biting the boy’s jacket and shaking him, deputies said. She tried to get the child away from the dog but the animal kept biting, grabbing the toddler by his dreadlocks and again shaking him, ripping his hair off.

Richland County Animal Control took custody of the dog, the report states. A sheriff’s department spokeswoman said no criminal charges were filed.

The dog was euthanized by Animal Control and is being tested for rabies, according to Richland County spokeswoman Beverly Harris. County officials have not yet been notified of the results.

No citations were issued, Harris said.

“You don’t expect stuff like this. So I’m just trying to stay positive for him and for myself,” April Pou said of her son, Ayaan Barco, according to WACH Fox. “I want him to feel a loving vibe from me so he’s knows I’m here from him.”

A GoFundMe page to help cover Ayaan’s medical expenses says one of the boy’s ears was torn off in the attack, and that he has serious head injuries, several puncture wounds and blood loss. He remains in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, according to the page.