Mom of Dog-Attacked Girl Warns Public

HOUSTON -  When Kortnie Murphy shows pictures of her daughter, she looks like a normal three-year-old girl.

The little girl's name is Natylee Murphy, and the pictures are some of the last memories Kortnie has of the way her daughter used to look.

Last week, Natylee came face to face with "Tank." The dog's owner describes him as a pit bull. "Tank" attacked Natylee at a relative's home in Montgomery County.

Sheriff's deputies say it happened when the little girl wanted to help her aunt feed several dogs in the backyard. Investigators believe she wandered up to "Tank" while he was eating.

"When I first found out about it and heard of all her injuries, I didn't think she was going to make it," said Murphy during an interview outside the hospital.

Now, Murphy has another set of pictures she's determined to show lawmakers and parents. They are graphic images of what Natylee's face looks like today.

Since Thursday, she's had five surgeries and more than a thousand stitches to repair severe tissue damage.

"The first thing I think of is a lion. I don't know of too many animals that can do that to you," said Murphy.

The family has started a letter writing campaign to get pit bulls banned in Texas. State law prohibits breed specific legislation, but some cities have been successful with getting ordinances passed.

It's an emotionally charged issue. Some animal advocates say it's unfair to target a certain breed.

"It's not a breed issue. It's an ownership issue," said Wendy Mahoney, a pit bull owner.

Mahoney says owners need to be committed to socializing their dogs with children and other animals.

"Banning specific breeds does not stop fatalities. People who are inclined to not have their dogs socialized will move on to a different breed," adds Mahoney.

Murphy says she doesn't blame the dog's owner, who is like an uncle to Natylee.

"The dog was not raised that way. It was never vicious before. This was all 100 percent the dog's fault," said Murphy.

The dog has been euthanized.

Murphy says her daughter faces years of reconstructive surgeries. To help the family with medical expenses, donations could be made at City Savings Bank, 1-337-463-8661. The account number is 1885499.