MENTOR, OH – A Mentor, Ohio mother and her 4-year-old daughter are recovering after a terrifying pit bull attack left the young girl with severe facial injuries and both mother and daughter traumatized. Alexis Higham and her daughter Carina are now grappling with the aftermath of the horrifying attack, which occurred over the weekend while they were walking on a trail near Veterans Park in Mentor.
The Shocking Attack
Higham recalled the moment the pit bull, which was roaming the area alone, latched onto Carina’s face, leaving the mother helpless and terrified. “I watched the dog take her face off,” Higham said, her voice filled with anguish. In a desperate attempt to protect her daughter, Higham picked Carina up and placed her on top of her head, trying to shield her from further injury.
“I screamed, ‘Help! Help! Somebody help us!'” Higham recalled. Despite the chaos and terror of the situation, Higham managed to drag the dog off her daughter, and it eventually released its grip after Higham was able to get them to a nearby street. Local residents heard her screams and immediately called 911.
Emergency Response and Hospitalization
Both Higham and Carina were rushed to a nearby hospital after the attack, where Carina underwent facial reconstructive surgery to repair the damage caused by the dog. The attack left severe injuries, with the dog ripping into Carina’s face, from under her chin up to the side of her nose and lip. Higham described her daughter’s injuries, saying, “The dog rips from up here all the way up on the side of her nose, her lip.”
Carina will need additional cosmetic surgery in approximately six months to address the lasting effects of the attack. Meanwhile, Carina has been out of school, and Higham has missed work to care for her daughter and cope with the emotional trauma.
Ongoing Investigation and Charges
As the family begins their recovery, Higham has been in contact with police and plans to press charges against the dog’s owner. A police report identifies the house as belonging to the dog’s owner, but when reporters attempted to speak with anyone at the residence, no one answered the door.
Higham also expressed the emotional toll of the attack, noting that Carina has already begun experiencing the social stigma of her injuries. “She already has people pointing and looking, and a little girl already said to her, ‘Mom, what’s wrong with her face?'” Higham explained, indicating that her daughter will have to navigate more than just physical recovery.
Community Support and Family Struggles
As the Mentor Police Department continues its investigation into the incident, Higham and Carina are receiving support from the local community. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the family with medical bills, and others have rallied behind them in the wake of this traumatic event.
For now, Higham says life will never be the same: “It’s not going to be the same ever again,” she lamented, reflecting on the emotional and physical scars the attack has left on both her and her daughter.
Call to Action
What are your thoughts on the incident? Share your opinion in the comments below and discuss how we can better protect our communities from attacks like this. Do you think there should be more regulations on dog ownership, or is this an isolated case?
