Missing 3-year-old boy’s dog fought off animal that attacked him in woods, sheriff says

MIZE, Miss. (WDAM/Gray News) – A 3-year-old boy who went missing in Mississippi was found with critical injuries, and officials believe he may have been attacked by an animal.

Thankfully, the boy’s dog was also with him, and deputies say it appears the dog fought off the other animal, which was likely another dog or a coyote.

The 3-year-old went missing in Smith County, Mississippi, after wandering from his home on Wednesday night.

Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston said the child slipped out of a door and was only gone for a few minutes before his family noticed and called 911.

The family, along with law enforcement and dozens of volunteers from the community, searched for the boy.

The child was only missing for about an hour and was found about a quarter mile from his home by his father.

“It wasn’t luck, it was the Lord’s grace and the community’s help,” Houston said.

The boy was rushed to a local hospital and later airlifted to another hospital in Jackson, Mississippi.

Houston said the boy had injuries consistent with an animal attack, and he said the family dog may have fought off the child’s attacker.

“A family dog followed him, and we later learned that the dog had received some injuries as well, some type of animal attack, and it appears that maybe his dog was trying to protect him from another animal,” Houston said.

Houston said the dog is doing well, and the boy is now in stable condition after multiple surgeries.

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