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Family’s dogs kill 2-year-old and 5-month-old in attack at their home, police say

The children's mother was also taken to the hospital after the attack.
/ Source: TODAY

Two young children were killed and their mother was hospitalized after they were attacked by a pair of family dogs in their Tennessee home, police say.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said the attack occurred in a park outside of Memphis.

“SCSO detectives are on scene at the 700 block of Sylvan Road near Shelby Forest State Park, where at about 3:30 pm two family dogs attacked a 2-year-old girl, a 5-month-old boy, and their mother in the home. The children were pronounced deceased on the scene,” the sheriff’s office tweeted Oct. 5.

The mother was taken to a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Shelby County Fire paramedics transported the mother in critical condition to Regional One Health,” the office tweeted. “This remains an active investigation.”

On Oct. 6, the sheriff’s office tweeted the mother’s condition had improved and that the dogs were pit bulls, who had since been put down.

“UPDATE: SCSO detectives report that the mother has been upgraded to stable condition at Regional One Health,” the office tweeted.

“The two pit bulls responsible for the attack were euthanized this afternoon by Memphis Animal Services. This is still an active, ongoing investigation.”