5-YO Tanner Smith Mauled by 2 Pit Bulls; Dies at Hospital

VIDOR, TX (10/18/2015) — 5-year-old Tanner Smith has died after being attacked by two dogs at a home in southeast Texas.

According to reports, the two were visiting the home of a family friend in Vidor on Sunday evening. The mother says she thought the friend's father was outside watching her boy, but when she learned he was not home, she rushed outside and discovered that her son had been severely mauled.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office says that the child was rushed to the hospital, but was later pronounced dead.

The friend's father, after learned what had happened, returned home and put down both dogs.

Now, another family has reached out and told 12News that their 9-year-old daughter and her mother were attacked by those very same dogs back in February!

According to Garrett Bean, his daughter Shealyn was bitten by the two pit bulls as the girl and her mother walked past the house on the corner of Aloha Street and Bahama Drive.

Bean says he filed a report with the sheriff's office and the dogs were put under quarantine for 10 days. When the 10-day quarantine was up, the owner got his dogs back.

12News also says that "several neighbors" who live close to the residence have been reporting to them that their pets have also been attacked by the two pit bulls.

"It could have been prevented," said Bean, referring to Sunday's attack. "When I found out it was the same dogs, I was furious."