Fundraiser launched for 11-year-old Georgia boy mauled by pit bulls, family releases updates as he remains hospitalized

Justin Gilstrap, 11, had just hopped on his bike to head home after playing soccer with a friend when the attack took place, The Augusta Chronicle reports.

His mother Ericka describes it as a miracle that Justin made it home alive, after the three dogs bit off one of his ears and 80 percent of his scalp. His cousin, who was also playing soccer at the house, heard the screams and immediately rushed to the ditch, following his voice.

"By the time he got to him, he could see the dogs and that's when he called 911," Ericka said. "Justin was alone when it happened and that's what is so heartbreaking to me. He knew he had to be home by 6 (p.m.) and he wasn't getting in trouble."

A neighbor and Justin's grandmother rushed over to help fight off the dogs and help the boy out of the ditch. The grandmother was also bitten on the forearm while trying to remove the dogs.

"She said there was just blood everywhere," Ericka said. "She couldn't tell where she was bleeding from ... but apparently he was bleeding from everywhere because there's not an inch of his body that is not covered in a cut or bruise."

Justin has had multiple surgeries, and more are to be expected. Almost every inch of his body is covered in injuries.

"As a mom, I don't even know where to touch him," Ericka said. "When he wants a hug, I've got little places on his face I'll kiss, but I don't want to hurt him."

It is unclear at this point what long-term emotional distress he will have.

"I'm hoping he's not going to have PTSD," his mom said. "They did warn me that he probably will need some therapy, just to get him back to where he was. He's sedated, so I don't know what he remembers, but one time when he woke up, he had tears coming down his face because he started crying."

A GoFundMe campaign has so far raised over $215,000 to help cover Justin's medical bills and support his mother and three siblings. His mother is posting regular updates on the fundraising site as the boy's injuries, the most recent one showing a smiling Justin clutching a teddy bear with the caption "What little bit Justin has been up today, he just wanted to say Thank You to everyone!"

A previous update described her frustration with the hospital allowing the 11-year-old to control his morphine intake with the push of a button.

"He is not in the state to understand that," she wrote.

Ericka has reported the dogs roaming free in the community before, and expressed frustration that it took this horrific attack to galvanize the county into doing something about it.

"They're always free. They don't even have a fence in their backyard," she said.

The 26-year-old owner was arrested for reckless conduct, telling police that he wasn't even at home when the attack took place.

Animal services confirmed that the owner turned over seven dogs to the county, even though they only have vaccination records for two of them.

"The fate of the dogs will be determined as the investigation moves forward," a county official said.