A follow-up on a Sumter County girl, severely injured after a vicious dog attack. Police have now charged the young girl's cousin with allowing those animals to run free.
Kenyea Smith is still in the hospital after being attacked by at least six dogs. Perry Loyd, the 6-year-old's grandfather, says the ordeal has been a nightmare.
"The trauma and problem for this child; and that could be anybody," said Loyd. "That's a terrifying thing."
Young Kenyea has been fighting for her life the past two weeks. She was attacked shortly after getting off the school bus, near her Sumter County home.
"I don't know how her reaction, when she comes home and has to face that dog that's still roaming loose in the neighborhood," said Loyd.
Kenyea's cousin, 55-year-old Geraldine Knox is charged with allowing the animals to run at large. Deputies say Knox does not own the dogs, but was feeding them making her liable.
"There are no hard feelings about it, I just think it's an unfortunate thing," said Loyd.
Kenyea has already had several surgeries and Perry Loyd says his granddaughter still faces years of plastic surgery and rehabilitation.
At least three of the dogs, believed to be involved in the attack, were killed by deputies when the animals tried to attack them. As for for the woman charged in the case, she was issued citations for each dog and later released.
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