7-month-old girl mauled to death by family pit bull in Ohio

A seven-month-old baby girl was mauled to death by a family pit bull in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday.

The infant, Elizah Turner, was attacked at her home by one of the family's three pit bulls. She was rushed to a nearby fire station and then transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital around 11:43 am, where she was pronounced dead.

Columbus Police Sgt. James Fuqua called the incident tragic and said that it was unclear which of the multiple dogs home at the time of the attack was responsible.

“There is really not a lot of words I can say to convey how I feel and how the officers who arrived [feel]. Everyone in this process is literally grieving as if this child belonged to us because most of us are parents and can't imagine just how this scene is,” Fuqua said, according to WBNS.

Franklin County Animal Control removed all three pit bulls from the home following the incident, and the agency is expected to determine their fate.

The baby’s mother, Mackenzie Copley, shared photos of Elizah and one of the pit bulls on social media Saturday, expressing disbelief over the incident.

“I will never understand why!!! I am so lost and broken. This was the same dog who was side by side with my baby every single day,” she posted. 

Elizah’s father, Kameron Turner, also posted an emotional message on Facebook: “Life is so not fair man why us why are [sic] baby. How can I continue living without her man?”

Bodycam footage obtained by WSYX shows officers arriving at the scene as a man informed them that a dog had attacked Elizah. He said one dog had been placed in a car and the other two remained on the property.

While pit bulls are banned in some parts of Ohio, they are permitted in Columbus, according to the BLS Census.

An obituary for Elizah described her as a “spunky, happy” baby who “was never without a smile.” It added, “She brought light to everyone's life, healed her family's hearts and gave them all purpose. Her favorite times were spent laughing with mom and dad.”