CPS takes child following dog attack

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Child Protective Services removed a 10-year-old girl from her family’s home Tuesday after her parents allegedly failed to report a dog attack.

Lighthouse Charter School told Metro Police that the girl’s family said they kept the girl out of school for a week because she was sick.

Police were called to the school Tuesday after officials there noticed the girl was limping and upon further investigation found bite marks, cuts and bruises on the girl’s body.

Once at the school, police say they met with the girl’s grandmother who told them she was a medical professional and decided the girl’s injuries did not require medical attention.

The child’s grandmother told officers that she heard screams and thought the girl was just playing with the family's pit bull. She told police she did not witness the dog attack but one of the girl’s siblings alerted her to it.

The officer described the girl’s injuries in the police report saying:

“I looked at the child’s injuries and observed healing deep bite marks on the child’s left leg, arms, shoulders, waist, arms and kneck (SIC). I also observed that the child limped as she walked and visible swelling on the left calf leg and well as (SIC) redness, bruising discoloration."

IMPD Sgt. Paul Thompson said the girl is still at Riley Hospital undergoing treatment for the bite wounds.

"Now, we don't have any long-term prognosis at this time. So, it's a little too early to tell how severe those injuries are and whether there's going to be any permanent injury," Thompson said.

Police called CPS and animal control to the school to conduct their own investigations. As a result, CPS removed the girl and three other children from the home.

Animal control took the dog from the home. They will decide whether to return the animal.

Police say several charges are possible.