JOLIET, Ill. — A 17-month-old girl was killed in a pit bull attack last weekend during a Fourth of July party in Illinois, authorities said.
According to The Associated Press and WMAQ-TV, the incident occurred early Sunday in the bedroom of a family friend's Joliet home. The toddler, whose parents were attending a holiday gathering at the residence, was in a playpen when two dogs somehow got free from the basement, Joliet police said.
After hearing a noise, the homeowner went into the bedroom to find one of the two dogs – both pit bull mixes – biting the child, the AP reported.
The Will County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Marley Wilander, according to the newspaper.
Authorities responded to the home shortly before 1:30 a.m. and found the girl unresponsive with multiple bite wounds, the Herald-News reported. Crews rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she later died.
The dog is now in the custody of Animal Control, police said.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.