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The dogs who mauled a five-month-old boy and a two-year-old girl to death and gravely injured their mother had never shown aggression before, according to the victim’s best friend.
Kirstie Jane Bennard, 30, of Millington, spent ‘over 10 minutes’ trying to save her children when the family’s dogs began viciously attacking them on Wednesday afternoon. It is unknown why the pets suddenly became aggressive.
The children, Hollace Dean Bennard, five months, and Lilly Jane Bennard, two, were pronounced dead at the scene after being attacked by the dogs – named Cheech and Mia – in Shelby County, Tennessee.
Kelsey Canfield, Bennard’s best friend, told Fox News that the dogs had never shown any signs of violence and if they had, ‘she would have never had those dogs near her kids.’
‘Those children were everything to them, and they just have a really long journey ahead,’ she said.
The dogs who mauled a five-month-old boy and the two-year-old girl to death and gravely injured their mother had never shown aggression before, according to the victim’s best friend
Hollace Dean Bennard, five months, and Lilly Jane Bennard, two, were pronounced dead at the scene after being attacked by the family’s pit bulls in Shelby County, Tennessee
Canfield added that she visited Bennard, along with the victim’s sister, and said she was awake and aware of what happened.
‘They were perfect, they were beautiful, they worshiped each other,’ she said of the children.
Jeff Gibson, the uncle to Bennard’s husband, Colby, revealed the mother-of-two has an ‘uncountable amount of stitches and bite marks over her entire body, including her face’ and that both her ‘arms and legs are bandaged/wrapped up completely.’
Gibson said Bennard’s injuries won’t cause ‘any permanent damage, other than a heart that will never heal.’
She’s still in hospital in ‘critical condition,’ family friend, Debbie Harvey, told DailyMail.com on Friday.
‘Kristie is a f**king hero!’ he wrote on Facebook. ‘She never gave up trying to save these babies.’
A family friend told DailyMail.com on Thursday that the respiratory therapist is ‘hanging in there,’ but declined to speak further.
The youngsters were their parents’ only children. Funeral details have not yet been released, but there will be a candle vigil soon, according to Harvey.
Colby, who manages a Harley-Davidson dealership in Memphis, was unharmed.
Kirstie Jane Bennard, 30, of Millington, (right) spent ‘over 10 minutes’ trying to save her children when the family’s dogs began viciously attacking them on Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear if the dog pictured was involved in the attack.
Bennard (left) was injured in the attack and has an ‘uncountable amount of stitches and bite marks over her entire body, including her face’
The funeral plans for the two children (pictured: Lilly with her parents) have not been released
It is unknown why they became aggressive on Wednesday. Colby shared this picture in 2016, but it unclear if it is the same dogs
The attack happened around 3:30 p.m. inside the family’s $360,000 Sylvan Road home (pictured) in Millington, Tennessee – near Memphis
Her in-law called her a ‘f**king hero’ and said she ‘never gave up trying to save these babies’
Further details of how the tragedy unfolded have yet to emerge. The animals have been taken away by the local animal control department, although it’s unclear if they have been put down.
DailyMail.com has attempted to reach Colby for comment. His father, Michael, declined to talk about the incident when reached by phone.
A family friend started a GoFundMe page for the family to help them ‘get back on their feet.’ It has raised $7,500 out of its $10,000 goal within two hours of it going live.
Eight years ago, Colby shared a picture of two pit bulls on Facebook and referred to the animals as ‘house lions’ while chatting with Kirstie.
It is unclear if those are the same dogs behind Wednesday’s attack.
The attack happened around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, inside the family’s $360,000, five-bedroom Sylvan Road home in Millington, Tennessee – near Memphis.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to DailyMail.com on Thursday that the pit bulls are currently in possession of animal control.
Little Lilly looks at her baby brother in a recent pictures the family shared. The children’s mother tried heroically to save her kids, but was also attacked by the family dogs
Lilly wears a unicorn outfit while her grandfather Michael holds hers in an old photo
The family has posted pictures of the animals (pictured in 2016 and 2017) on their social media, showing the dogs around their home
The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and the Sheriff’s Office declined to comment further.
It is unclear if any criminal charges will follow.
Bennard’s friend, Kelsey Gallini, posted on Facebook, asking for ‘prayers,’ saying ‘everyone in her circle could really use that.’
‘I love you, I love you, I love you,’ she wrote in a separate post.
Gallini also revealed in a comment to a WREG Facebook post about the tragedy that she was furious news outlets were covering the attack, questioning why ‘something so traumatic and unimaginable [had] to be so publicized.’
Friend Lacie Snider replied to the social media post, writing: ‘I feel like the phone call I had with Caitlin [Killebrew] wasn’t real.’ Killebrew is another friend of the family.
Her friends took to Facebook to offer their prayers and send her their love
Killebrew wrote, alongside a photo of the two at her wedding: ‘My sweet friend – I love you.’
Another wrote: ‘Praying so hard! Shock is an understatement!’
Many others said they were ‘heartbroken,’ ‘dumbfounded,’ and sending ‘big prayers.’
Pit bulls are known for having one of the strongest bites, alongside Mastiffs and Rottweilers, according to the Canine Journal.
The breed is also on the journal’s list of dogs that bite the most, alongside Chihuahuas, German Shepherds and Cocker Spaniels.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to DailyMail.com on Thursday that the pit bulls belonged to the family and are currently in possession of Animal Control
The children were pronounced dead at the scene. Their mother was also severely injured
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