7-year-old survives pit bull attack

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003 | 11:10 a.m.

A 7-year-old North Las Vegas boy who was mauled by two pit bulls Sunday prevented the dogs from reaching two of his friends and may have saved his own life with his quick reaction to the attack, his parents said.

North Las Vegas Police said Austin Bechtel was playing outside with two friends near his home in the 400 block of Villa Espana in Rancho Del Norte Estates when two loose pit bulls attacked him.

Bechtel, whose skull was fractured by a dog bite, took the brunt of the attack, allowing another 7-year-old and a 3-year-old playmate to escape to safety.

"My son is a little hero," said Austin's mother, Andrea Hughes. "And he was so smart he knew he was in great danger and he tucked himself into a little ball and covered his head with his hands to prevent them from getting at him."

University Medical Center surgeons were to operate this afternoon to remove bone fragments in his brain, the boy's parents said.

North Las Vegas Police said the boy suffered numerous head and facial cuts and already has undergone several emergency operations and plastic surgery to repair his wounds.

Austin was in fair condition today, a hospital spokesman said, declining to release any additional information. His parents said he was playing a video game in his bed this morning and told them that he knows that "not all dogs are like that."

At Raul P. Elizondo Elementary School, where Austin is a first grader, Principal Billy Chapman was not surprised at Austin's bravery or his good sense to cover up and not try to fight back.

Before the attack, Austin had already been named February Student of the Month for his class.

"He's a loveable kid and practices good citizenship," Chapman said. "Austin follows his teacher's instructions when it comes to responsibility. His actions (during the attack) speak very well of him and can be described as heroic."

This morning a fifth grade art class at the school was making a big card, which Chapman said he planned to deliver today, among other gifts and well wishes to Austin.

The pit bulls who attacked the boy were captured and quarantined by animal control officers at the Dewey Animal Shelter. No one has claimed them. Police have released photos of the dogs -- one brown, the other black with white markings -- and are looking for their owners.

Neither dog had tags but they must have had an owner because one dog was wearing a collar, and the other was dragging a leash from around its neck, Hughes said.

Potential charges for the owner or owners of the dogs depends on the outcome of the police investigation, on such things as whether the dogs were allowed to run loose or had escaped and whether there had been any prior animal control charges or warnings, authorities said.

"Right now our main concern is that our son comes out of today's operation well and that he fully recovers both mentally and physically from the attack," said Sean Hughes. "We are keeping his spirits up, and he is smiling and laughing.

"If the people who own the dogs are found and held accountable, then that will be a bonus."

Hughes, a technology manager for a copy firm, said he too was impressed and proud that Austin had "the maturity of thought" to protect his throat and belly from the dogs, who according to neighbors, appeared to be working in unison to try to pick apart the boy's defenses and get at his vital organs.

One of those neighbors, Jeff Goodrich, saw what was happening, got a baseball bat and beat the attacking dogs while his Rottweiler-mix, Hooch, grabbed one of the attacking dog's legs and attempted to pull the dog off of Bechtel, Hughes said.

Anyone with information about the animals or the attack is asked to call North Las Vegas Police Detective David Molnar at 633-1779.