Toddler dies after being bitten by family friend's Rottweiler, police say

HENDERSON, Nev. - A 15-month-old girl died after she was bitten by a dog near Las Vegas, authorities said.

The incident was reported around 8 a.m. Saturday at a home in Henderson, a city located about 16 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Police officers, animal control officials and the Henderson Fire Department responded and found the toddler suffering from a dog bite from a Rottweiler, authorities said.

The girl was rushed to a nearby hospital where she later died, police said.

Details on what led up to the attack were not immediately released.

The 4-year-old Rottweiler was owned by a family friend, according to the Henderson Police Department. The dog was taken into custody by animal control officers and euthanized "at the owner's request," police said.

The owner of the home where the incident happened told FOX 5 Vegas that it was his granddaughter who was killed and that he was heartbroken and in shock.

The homeowner told the news station that the family was at home at the time and did not know what happened. He added that the girl had been around large dogs in the past, including the one that bit her.

"It's never really been aggressive," a neighbor told FOX 5 Vegas about the Rottweiler. "I've never heard it bark. It's been there numerous times."

In a news release, police said the Clark County coroner's office would identify the child, as well as her official cause and manner of death.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.