News 12 at 11 o'clock, December 29, 2009

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. --- A pit bull attacked a 5-year-old girl in the backyard of a North Augusta home Monday, sending her to a local hospital.

It happened on the 200 block of Ashley Circle in North Augusta while the girl was playing in the backyard with the pit bull dog, when things turned violent.

The girl's 10-year-old step brother went outside and hit the dog multiple times trying to get the dog off the girl, but it didn't work.

When it didn't work, he went inside and grabbed a knife before coming outside and stabbing the dog multiple times in the back, according to Sgt. Dave Myers from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

The dog didn't come off the girl, so the boy went next door to Ricardo Hill's home to get help.

"The boy next door told me the kid was attacking his sister," Hill said. "So when I got over there the pit bull was on top of the baby. So my first instinct was to get him off so I got a folding chair and hit him."

The dog then let go of the young girl's neck and ran out into the street bleeding, Hill said.

The young girl suffered cuts to her neck and her face, but Hill said she is lucky to be alive because the dog's mouth was around her neck when he arrived.

The animal survived the stabbing and was taken to Aiken County Animal Control because of the attack, according to authorities.

The neighbor said the young boy played a big role in saving the little girl's life.

Parents weren't at home when the attack happened and the girl reportedly doesn't reside at the North Augusta home, Hill said.

Authorities said charges may be pending but they are looking into it.