A little girl suffered major injuries to when a pit bull attacked her in the face. INSIDE EDITION visits the family as she recovers from the traumatic incident.
It's a chilling call to 911 after a vicious pit bull attacks an innocent little girl.
911 operator:
Where was your daughter injured?
Caller:
In the face! In the face! Please god hurry! Please!
The pit bull sank his sharp teeth into 5-year-old Saleena Wickward's face outside her house in Hurricane, Utah.
Her screams can be heard as a neighbor calls 911.
911 operator:
How bad is the bleeding?
Caller:
It is everywhere. It is everywhere. It's in her face and it is everywhere.
Little Saleena was playing outside when she wandered into the yard next door. The pit bull was chained to his dog house, but the chain was long enough for him to reach the little girl.
He put Saleena in a death grip and literally had to be pried off.
"She has a smile that can light up a room and we pray that we get it back," said Katie Weeks, Saleena's mother.
Incredibly, Saleena survived the savage attack. But the mauling left the courageous little girl with horrible injuries.
Saleena's face is covered with 900 stitches. Her eyes were barely open and talking was difficult.
Two teams of plastic surgeons spent six hours trying to put Saleena's face back together.
"She's the strongest little girl I've ever met," said Katie.
Just a week after INSIDE EDITION's visit, Saleena was released from the hospital.
Home videos show Saleena back with her family and doing much better.
She's watching TV, coloring, and her beautiful smile is coming back.
It will be more than a year before doctors know how much Saleena's scars will heal.
"Seeing those beautiful blue eyes is the best thing in the world," said Katie.
Right now the dog remains in quarantine. No charges have been levied against its owners.
If you'd like to help, the family has set up a fund at any Wells Fargo bank under Saleena Wickward's name.
