5-year-old child hospitalized with serious injuries after dog attack, CMPD says

A 5-year-old child was seriously hurt in a dog attack outside a north Charlotte home, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

It happened around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, on Fairchase Avenue, near the intersection of North Graham Street and West Sugar Creek Road, police said in a news release.

The dog was euthanized and a state lab is testing it for rabies, police said.

“Preliminary information reveals that a group of children were outside playing and knocked on the door of a nearby residence to invite children who live there to play with the group,” officials said.

“When the door was opened, the dog escaped the residence and attacked the victim. Another child was able to run inside the residence and get the owner of the dog to come and get the dog.”

The bite victim was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said.

An investigation is ongoing, police said. The identity of the dog’s owner was not released.

“The dog did not have a current rabies vaccination,” police said.

This story was originally published September 22, 2023 at 6:10 AM.