9-year-old dies in dog mauling while checking mail for his mom, Arkansas police say
A 9-year-old boy who disappeared from his Arkansas home early Thursday died in an apparent dog attack, according to the Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office.
The boy’s body was found in a field not far from the family’s home in Mt. Vernon, per a statement posted to the department’s Facebook page.
The child’s mother told police she’d sent her son out to fetch the mail. When he didn’t return, she went searching for him and contacted police when she couldn’t find him, authorities said.
The woman also said she “noticed several dogs running near a field near her home,” according to police.
The Faulkner County Major Crimes Unit was called in to investigate after authorities located the boy’s body. Investigators later questioned two people about the incident.
The Conway Animal Shelter ultimately took custody of two dogs from a nearby home, the sheriff’s office said. The animals will remain quarantined while county officials investigate.
Further details about what kind of dogs attacked the boy haven’t been released. It’s also unclear if the dogs’ owners will face criminal charges.
The incident remains an active investigation, authorities said.