Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Girl is Bitten By Dog

A nine-year-old Prescott girl is recovering from severe bites she received from a pit bull Sunday afternoon.

According to Nevada County Sheriff Harold Vines, Jessie Hildebrand had gone with her father to the home of John Banks, off Highway 24, where her father was doing some work for Banks. The two men were apparently around the back of Banks' house when she decided to get out of the truck.

When she did, the dog, which was chained, lunged at her, breaking its collar. Once free, the animal attacked the child, biting her repeatedly, causing a serious laceration to the back of her head, Vines said. Fortunately, she was on her stomach at the time of the attack and the dog was unable to get to her stomach, neck or face.

Banks and Mr. Hildebrand were able to get the dog off the child, who was transported to Medical Park Hospital in Hope, where she was treated and transported to Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana.

Banks destroyed the dog before deputies arrived at the scene. Vines said Banks had records of the dog having all its required shots.

The sheriff said Hildebrand will recover from the attack, which occurred around 3 p.m.