Four year old Virginia boy killed in American bully dog attack

A four-year-old boy named Garcia Welch died on Sunday after being mauled by an American bully dog in Louisa County, Virginia, the New York Post reported. The attack took place while the boy was spending the weekend with his father, while his older brother watched. [1]

According to the Louisa County Sheriff's Office, police officers had to put down the dog while it was still biting the child. Responders brought the boy to a landing area to be airlifted to a hospital, but medical personnel declared him dead before he could be loaded onto the helicopter, the New York Post said. [1]

The child had recently started preschool. His aunt, Cynthia Russ, described him in an interview with WVIR as a sweet and kind child who made friends easily. [1]

The American Bully is a modern companion dog breed that was first standardized and recognized in 2004 by the American Bully Kennel Club. Official breed standards describe the dog as giving an impression of great strength relative to its size. [9]