DALLAS — Family has identified a 4-year-old girl who was killed by a dog in southern Dallas on Saturday. Neighbors said they’ve been calling for help for months now after seeing the dogs jump out of the windows.
Lea Freeman’s aunt said the young girl would light up a room the moment she walked in.
“She was a baby, she was happy, precious,” said Tiffany Freeman, Lea’s aunt.
On Saturday morning, her family says, she died after she was attacked by a dog at a house on Bluffman Drive in southern Dallas.
Her mom, Tiara Freeman, spoke with WFAA when the incident occurred.
“I was just getting a drink for my neighbor and her dad,” said Tiara.
Tiara said she left her three daughters with her friend, and her dad, where all of them were living.
She said her 2-year-old daughter was in the room with her sister.
“She’s traumatized. She’s very scared, she saw her sister be killed,” said Tiara.
Kendra Freeman is Lea’s aunt.
“To see her in the body bag, literally could only see the right side of her face, down to here,” said Kendra.
Lea’s family said her mother has mental health issues and they’ve been trying to get the children to live with their grandparents.
“Their mother has decided to leave at random times and take them with her and take them to this home we have expressed was run down and ill-fitting for children,” said Tiffany.
Lea’s grandparents said they’ve been calling CPS and warning them since March about the conditions the children have been living in.
Child Protective Services said they’ve had previous involvement with the family, but those details are confidential.
While authorities are still trying to piece this together, Lea’s family is still trying to make sense of what happened.
“It’s surreal. It’s like that horrible dream that you want to wake up from,” said Kendra.
The family has set up a GoFundMe, hoping to pay for funeral expenses. If you would like to help, visit their fundraiser.
Dallas Animal Services said three dogs were seized from the home and have been euthanized.