WAXHAW, N.C. – The family of a 5-year-old girl killed in a pit bull attack last month has revealed shocking new details into the attack, saying the two dogs bit the girl more than 200 times.
For the family, Makayla Woodard’s death is still very fresh.
“It’s hard to lose a 5-year-old,” says her uncle, Robert Frady. He says Makayla laughed a lot and loved to play dress-up.
“She thought she was ‘Little Miss Grown Up,’” he says. “She would put on high heels.”
The young girl was killed in a horrific way.
“There were over 200 dog bites on that youngin’,” Frady says. “It’s heartbreaking. I can’t imagine somebody being bit like that and having their throat ripped out.”
The neighbor’s two pit bulls had escaped from their yard, as they'd done many times before, and attacked Makayla.
“I know it was a senseless death and irresponsible on the dog owners’ part,” Frady says. “If he’d kept them on the chains like he was told to, she would be here today.”
Dog owner Michael Gordon is charged with involuntary manslaughter but Makayla's uncle says he has forgiven Gordon.
“Do I hate the man? No,” he says.
Understandably, Makayla’s grandmother is having a tougher time coping with the situation.
“She [the grandmother] put her body on top of Makayla to try to protect her, for the dogs not to do any more damage but Makayla was already gone, [the dogs] ripped her throat wide open, there was no hope for Makayla,” Frady says.
She still has not been able to return to where the attack happened -- her home.
“She can’t stand to see where it happened,” Frady says.”Can you imagine? I don't know if she'll ever get over this. I doubt it.”
The community is raising money to help pay funeral expenses and the hospital bill for Makayla’s grandmother.
There will be a golf tournament March 26 at Carolina Crossing Golf Club.
For more information click here.
