Boy, 7, is mauled to death by a pack of four dogs in gruesome attack that also left mother in ICU with head wounds after she tried to save him as owners are accused of not keeping rabies vaccines up to date

  • Kellan Islas, seven, was mauled to death by four dogs - two Rottweilers and two mixed breeds - on Saturday on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho 
  • Kellan was found by his mother unconscious on the neighbor's porch while the dogs mauled him 
  • His mother, Emily Islas, 39, was also severely injured trying to save her son as she laid on top of him to protect him. She remains in the hospital 

By ALYSSA GUZMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

A seven-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of dogs, including two Rottweilers, that left his mother severely injured. 

Kellan Islas and his mother Emily Islas, 39, were attacked by four dogs just before 6pm on Saturday outside the Wolfchild residence on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. They were not tribal members. 

Fort Hall Police were dispatched to the Sandy Road residence after receiving a report that a young boy had been attacked 'by multiple dogs and was unconscious.' 

The dogs - two Rottweilers and two mixed breeds - belonged to neighbors Benjamin Dominick Wolfchild and Juliana Wolfchild, who were not home at the time of the attack, according to Sho-Ban News, a weekly newspaper for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. They were issued a citation for not keeping rabies vaccines up to date. 

Emily and her son live in an RV behind the Wolfchild residence where she had let Kellan outside to play at 5.51pm. When he did not return a few minutes later, she found him laying face down on the Woldchild residence porch while the dogs attacked him, according to Sho-Ban News.  

Emily had let her son outside to play around 5.50pm on Saturday. When he did not return a few minutes later, she found him laying face down on the Wolfchild residence porch while the dogs attacked him.  She failed to fight off the dogs and laid down on top of her son to protect him, but he injuries caused him to lose consciousness

Kellan Islas and his mother Emily Islas, 39, were attacked by four dogs just before 6pm on Saturday outside the Wolfchild residence on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. They were not tribal members

Kellan Islas, seven, (right) was mauled to death by four dogs, including two Rottweilers, outside his home on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho on Saturday. His mother, Emily, 39, (left) was 'severely injured' trying to protect her son

Emily and her son live in an RV behind the Wolfchild residence where she had let Kellan outside to play around 5.50pm. When he did not return a few minutes later, she found him laying face down on the Woldchild residence porch while the dogs attacked him

Emily was left 'severely injured' after she tried, but failed, to fight off the dogs. She laid on top of her son to protect him, but by the time the attack was done, the child's injuries had rendered him unconscious. 

Both were taken to Portneuf Medical Center. 

'I know Emily, and I know she did everything in her power to protect Kellan from that attack. She is an amazing woman and mother and sacrificed herself to try and save her little boy,' the mother's friend Samantha Lenay wrote on GoFundMe. 

'Emily was rushed to emergency surgery and is still in the ICU trying to recover from the damage that the dogs did to her.'

The mother-of-two 'sustained nerve damage and [had] a ruptured artery in her right arm, as well as, damage to the back of her head, left arm, and her back,' Lenay wrote on the fundraiser, which has raised nearly $11,000 of its $20,000 goal. 

Emily's daughter Rory was not home at the time of the attack. 

Emily was left 'severely injured' after she tried, but failed, to fight off the dogs. She laid on top of her son to protect him, but by the time the attack was done, the child's injuries had rendered him unconscious

Emily was left 'severely injured' after she tried, but failed, to fight off the dogs. She laid on top of her son to protect him, but by the time the attack was done, the child's injuries had rendered him unconscious

She last saw the boy (pictured with his mother) and his sister on Friday and said the day before Kellen had brought books to her room and read to the other children and wanted to do it more often

The mother-of-two 'sustained nerve damage and [had] a ruptured artery in her right arm, as well as, damage to the back of her head, left arm, and her back,' her friend wrote on GoFundMe

The mom has undergone surgery and is remains 'pretty swollen,' Lenay said. She will need physical and occupational therapy due to the nerve and tissue damage in her arms. 

Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner called it a 'tragic situation' and said his 'heart goes out to them.' 

'To lose a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. This situation is very difficult to understand and my thoughts and prayers are with them in this tough time,' he said, according to Idaho State Journal. 

Karren remember Kellen (pictured with his mother) as 'so smart' and 'very creative'

Emily is still in the ICU and has undergone surgery and will require physical and occupational therapy

The mother is currently in the ICU and had undergone emergency surgery. She suffered from nerve damage and head injuries

The mother-of-two also has a daughter, who was not at the home during the incident 

The Woldchilds were issued 15 citations by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Animal Ordinance, including vicious animal attack and being over the pet limit, according to Sho-Ban News. They also received a violation for a rabies vaccinations for their dogs. 

All four dogs were euthanized by the Fort Hall Police Department. 

Fort Hall Police, the FBI, and Fish & Game are conducting an investigation into the incident and the case is expected to be submitted to the US Attorney's Office for review. The Woldchilds could face federal charges. 

Idaho

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