11-year-old brutally attacked by three dogs while riding his bicycle, Georgia family says
_fitted.png "Justin Gilstrap, 11, remains hospitalized after he was attacked by three dogs, his mom said.")
An 11-year-old boy is hospitalized in Georgia after he was brutally attacked by three dogs while on a bike ride, his family says.
Justin Gilstrap was riding his bike with a friend on Friday, Jan. 6, when three dogs attacked him, pulling him off his bike and dragging him into a ditch, according to a report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. That’s when his friend heard his screams and ran to get help.
When deputies arrived, they found Gilstrap in his front yard, covered in blood with a torn scalp and missing part of his ear, the report said. Gilstrap was transported to Augusta University hospital.
Gilstrap’s mother, Ericka Stevens, said her son was taken into emergency surgery when he arrived at the hospital, according to a Facebook post from Friday night. He is missing more than half of his skull and his right ear, and he has deep lacerations on his legs.
As of Monday, Jan. 9, Gilstrap was still in the hospital receiving treatment for his injuries, Stevens said on Facebook. He is on a ventilator and is still sedated.
“Please continue to pray for my baby,” she wrote. “I am devastated.”
Stevens, a single mother of four, said her son will undergo more surgeries this week to treat his injuries and deal with infections that have developed.
“Just keep the prayers coming. We love you all and are just completely overwhelmed by the support,” Stevens said.
Columbia County officials said the dogs’ owner had received warnings about letting the dogs run free in the past, according to a news release from the board of commissioners. The county did not have any records of the dogs being aggressive toward people before this attack.
The dogs’ owner told officials that his dogs were prone to chasing after people on bicycles, The August Press reported. He was charged with reckless conduct.
The owner was taken into custody after the incident and charged with reckless conduct, deputies said.
He has since been released on bond, according to WRDW.
Stevens said she expects her son to be in the hospital for about a month after the attack from what she described as pit bulls.
“My heart is breaking for him,” she wrote.
Columbia County is to the northwest of Augusta.
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 1:11 PM with the headline "11-year-old brutally attacked by three dogs while riding his bicycle, Georgia family says."
