8-Month-Old Infant Mauled To Death By Pet Pit Bull

An 8-month-old baby girl died after she was attacked by a pet pit bull in Miramar, Florida, Wednesday. The infant was outside her home in the 2400 block of Kingston Drive with her grandmother when the attack took place.

Miramar Police Officer Yessenia Diaz told BuzzFeed News the incident took place around 11.30 a.m. EDT when the grandmother brought the pit bull back from a walk. The dog broke free and leaped towards the baby.

Calling the incident a “traumatizing tragedy,” Diaz said: "The grandma was holding the dog after coming back inside and he overpowered her and went directly into the room where the child was bouncing and attacked her."

Diaz added that “the child was in a bedroom and was in a bouncy chair.” First responders declared her dead at the scene as the injuries were severe.

Diaz said that the parents were at work when the incident took place.

"She was the best thing to ever happen to me, we smiled every morning. She was my world,” said Brenda Villasin, the baby's mother, ABC-affiliated television station WPLG reported.

"Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks they are going to lose the person they love," she added.

"When you get a call like that, you don't ask questions — you just go. I left work right away," Villasin said confirming she was at work when she got a call from the police.

Police confirmed the pit bull involved in the attack was 3-4 years old and was one of the three dogs raised by the family. The dog was raised by the family since it was a puppy with its mother and a sibling. All three dogs were taken away by Broward County and Animal Care and Adoption officials. However, it is unclear if the dog will be put down by the officials.

"I don't know what is going to happen to the dog. This is now a crime scene and our detectives are evaluating with the help of Broward County Animal Control," Diaz said.

"The minute I heard the baby was attacked, I felt like I knew her," said Jackie Knapp who was visiting her sister who lives down the street from where the baby was attacked.

"We went in and started praying, asking for this baby to survive," Knapp added. “They're never going to get through that. It’s a big loss."

Inspector Lt. José A. Gregorisch said fire fighters were called to respond to the dog bite but their help wasn’t required.

Alex Bernal, the family's landlord said: “They’re a beautiful family. They always pay on time. They are very nice,” the Sun Sentinel reported.

Victims services unit was at the scene to provide counseling to the parents and the first responders, USA Today reported.

No additional information, including the Identity of the victim and her family, were revealed by the police as the parents asked for time to inform other relatives.