A six-year-old boy from Portland, Oregon, died in a dog mauling incident on Tuesday morning, December 5, 2023. The attack occurred in the Portland neighborhood of Parkrose Heights at a family friend’s home in the 1800 block of Northeast 112th Avenue.

Police report that the boy was attacked by two large Great Dane-Mastiff mixes owned by a friend of the child’s grandmother, who routinely took the child to school. The incident occurred shortly after 7:40 a.m., when the boy, following the woman into the garage where the dogs were kept, was attacked.

The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has identified the woman, who was also the homeowner, as the child’s regular morning caretaker. She reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries to her hands while attempting to intervene and rescue the boy from the attack. The woman, whose name has not been disclosed, was taken to a hospital for treatment.

According to PPB Public Information Officer Mike Benner, the woman tried to pull the dogs away from the child and reached for a gun in an attempt to stop the mauling, though she did not fire it. Officer Benner noted that the woman did everything in her power to save the boy’s life.

The boy, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Authorities have indicated that the child had been advised to stay away from the dogs and the garage due to their dangerous nature. However, there had been no prior reports of problematic behavior from these dogs to Multnomah County Animal Services.

Both dogs are in the custody of Multnomah County Animal Services, and one has been identified as the primary aggressor in the attack. The investigation is being led by the PPB Child Abuse Team with assistance from the Homicide Division. It remains unclear whether the dog owner will face criminal charges.