The Associated Press
BUNNLEVEL, N.C. (AP) -- A mixed-breed pit bull attacked and killed a 3-year-old boy who wandered into his neighbor’s back yard, the Harnett County sheriff said Wednesday.
The body of Nathan Roy Hill was found late Tuesday in the yard near the chained dog after he had wandered away from home around 4:30 p.m., according to an initial investigation by the sheriff’s office. His mother, Christy Gambill, called 911 to report him missing about two hours later.
The boy’s body was found shortly before 8 p.m. in the next-door neighbor’s yard, located off Lemuel Black Road in the Anderson Creek community of Bunn Level, authorities said.
“He was found right there in the area of the chained dog,” Sheriff Larry Rollins said. A deputy had to shoot the dog to reach the child’s body, Rollins said.
Nathan had at least two bite marks, the sheriff said. The state Medical Examiner’s Office in Chapel Hill examined Nathan and the dog Wednesday and determined “the child’s death was caused by the dog,” Rollins said.
“At this point, we don’t see any criminal charges that will be filed,” he said. The results of the sheriff department’s investigation will be forwarded to the district attorney, who will make the final decision on charges.
A second dog confined elsewhere on the property was not involved. That dog was now at the county animal shelter as part of the investigation, the sheriff said.
Veronica Copley, an owner of the dogs, said she had the dogs for seven years and never had any trouble with them in the past.
Wednesday morning, deputies guarded the two homes cordoned off by crime scene tape. A “Beware of the Dog” sign was fastened to a tree in Copley’s yard.
Jason Walden, who also lives on the street, said the boy was at his house Tuesday afternoon playing with his 6-year-old son not long before he disappeared. Walden said most of the neighborhood children play outside frequently but know to avoid the dogs.
“All the kids knew they were mean dogs back there,” Walden said.
Rollins said Nathan’s stepfather is deployed in Iraq. Red Cross officials contacted the stepfather, who was coming home. The boy’s father lives in Texas.