3-year-old girl playing outside attacked by dog in Springfield

A Springfield 3-year-old was taken to the hospital Thursday after a dog attacked her while she was playing outside.

Springfield police began their investigation when they were called to Springfield Regional Medical Hospital in reference to the attack, a police report says.

There, they were told that the child was attacked by a dog at around 7:15 p.m. at a home on Oakwood Place.

“(The child’s mother) stated that her juvenile daughter was outside playing with friends when her neighbor’s dog came busting through the front door …” the report says. “(The mother) stated that her daughter was knocked to the ground. (The mother) stated that her daughter began to scream at which time she came outside and saw her on the ground.”

The report says the child suffered “minor visible” injuries including a “small abrasion” to her left arm.

The mother said after she went outside she saw a large brown and white pit bull run inside her neighbor’s home.

“(The mother) advised that this isn’t the first time that her neighbor’s dog have gotten out and hurt a young child.”

Police said they went to the home to speak with the dog’s owner but no one answered the door, according to the police report.

“You could hear what sounded to be a large dog barking from the inside,” the report says.

The investigation is ongoing.

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