Newport News, Va. - Six-year-old Yonni DuBose is recovering in the hospital after being mauled by a pit bull Sunday afternoon near her Denbigh home.
"There she was laying, covered in blood, and it just was horrible," said the girl's grandmother, Nancy DuBose. "First thing I did was scream."
Yonni has the dressing on her head changed three times a day because much of the skin there was ripped off. DuBose says the doctor told her he lost count at 200 on how many stitches were in the little girl's head.
"I was just blessed that her skull was not cracked or injured so that was a blessing right there," DuBose said.
Girl home from hospital after pit bull attack
Yonni was playing with friends when the pit bull got out of a neighboring home and lunged at her.
"She's not back because she's in pain and of course she has to do therapy," DuBose said.
DuBose says she's on crutches because the dog's teeth punctured her ankle.
The first grader is already worried about going back to school.
"All the kids are gonna tease me?" DuBose says. "I said, 'No, they won't tease you once they realize you were hurt by a dog you'll be okay. I said you can wear hats at school until your hair grows back."
Yonni has school days in her future because of Bryan Wilson. The teen took action by pinning the dog down to prevent it from further hurting Yonni.
"It was bad. Her scalp was ripped open and her ankle was broken. Yeah, it was pretty bad," said Wilson, who lives a couple of doors down from where the attack happened.
Wilson's stepdad, Jason Pinkens, was the one who pulled the dog off her as other neighbors tried to comfort her before an ambulance arrived.
"We all helped each other. There's more than one hero here; they're just not here with me right now," Pinkens said.
Newport News Animal Control says charges are pending the investigation.
There is no word on whether the dog will be put down, though it is currently under Animal Control's care.
