WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
A six-year-old girl needed more than 1,000 stitches to her face and neck after she was torn apart by a vicious pit bull in a terrifying attack.
The youngster is reported to have been left with horrific injuries after the attack in the city of Chesterville, Maine State, USA, on 18th February.
Victim Lily Norton is still in an intensive care unit after being flown to Boston Children’s Hospital for specialist surgery.
She is said to be still critical following an 11-hour operation to repair bites and tears to her face and throat.
Her mother Dorothy Norton, told local media: “I’m trying so hard not to cry.”
The nightmare attack happened when Lily was at a neighbour’s house playing with a friend.
The friend’s mother was reportedly dog-sitting the female pit bull.
Dorothy told local media: “They were going to sit at the table and play cards.
“The little girl that Lily went up to play with went to go get the cards.
“Lily sat at the table, and the dog attacked her.”
Dorothy said Lily put her shoulders up to try to protect her neck from the pit bull’s powerful jaws.
Her friend’s mum was in the bathroom and when she came out heard her daughter screaming.
Dorothy said: “As soon as she walked out into the kitchen, the dog let go.”
Local media report that the woman picked Lily up and took her to a hospital in Farmington.
Lily was then flown to a Boston hospital with her parents.
Dorothy said: “She can’t talk at all right now, but she has been very responsive today. She’s been looking at me, blinking and telling me what she needs.”
Dorothy hopes her daughter will make a speedy recovery.
She said: “I’m hoping. She already looks good.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up, by Jackson Pitcher of Livermore, on behalf of Lily’s parents, to help the Norton family with their travel expenses. At the time of writing it had generated over USD 19,000 (GBP 15,800) out of a USD 6,500 (GBP 5,400) goal.
The GoFundMe summary says: “Yesterday February 18th 2023 Lily Norton the daughter of Leo and Dorothy Norton was viciously attacked in the face by a pitbull. She was flown to Boston children’s hospital where she went a long 11 hours of extensive surgery on her face. She has over 1,000 stitches from below her eyes all the way to under her chin. This poor sweet little girl has had her life changed forever.
“She’s only 6. Not to mention her parents life has now been flip over. Lily is in critical condition at the ice in the Boston children’s hospital and will remain there for atleast 10 days if not longer then have a long road of recovery and hospital visits. The Norton family is from a small town called Chesterville, Maine. They will be enduring alot of traveling in the future years to come from Maine to Boston for thier daughters care.
“We are asking for any and all help we can get for this family and help them ease some of the expenses that this terrible tragedy put them in.. my heart goes out to the Norton family especially the beautiful little Lily.” (sic)
There have been no further details about the attack, which is being investigated, according to local media.
Dorothy Norton reportedly said she was working with the authorities to have the dog put down.
