© Angela Antunes / CC by 2.0
The attack was reported at the intersection of 38th Street and Grand Avenue around 12 p.m., according to LMPD spokesman Lamont Washington.
The child, who police said appeared to be 3-years-old, was transported to Norton Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"The only thing I saw was the black shadow of a dog leaving the room," neighbor Shelby Lee Caldwell told WAVE 3 News.
Answering his next-door neighbor's frantic calls for help Thursday, Chadwell knew he needed to act fast.
"We had to fight the dog out of there, beat sticks, make noise, get the dog out of there," Chadwell said.
He said they were able to get the dog off and away from the boy, but despite police and EMS efforts, they were too late. The vicious attack had taken its toll.
"It looked to be the worst... it's not something I want to relive," Chadwell said as he began to choke up.
The dog had gotten out earlier and was bothering neighbors down the street, according to Chadwell.
"The guy next door was having trouble getting it under control and getting it back to his house," Chadwell explained.
He said the man has had trouble before controlling the animal, which he describes as ferocious and strong. Inside the home is where the dog turned on the small child, police said.
Chadwell believes the dog's owner was the boy's grandfather.
"I think it's the next door neighbor's lifelong family dog," Chadwell said. "They've had a couple mishaps with this dog before. This is the second or third time this year the man next door had trouble wrestling this dog."
Louisville Metro Animal Services will quarantine the dog for 10 days.
Dog Attacked Child Before
UPDATE 05/03/19: On Friday, WLKY updated their report with new information. They spoke to the child's maternal grandmother, Cynthia Coy, who said the deadly dog mauling came just weeks after the dog had attacked Isaiah, ripping his ear. Coy provided a photograph of the child's injury. "So obviously the dog has attacked him before," Coy said. "Where was my daughter? Was she there?" Coy asked, referring to the fatal dog mauling Thursday at the home on Grand Avenue.
According to WLKY footage, Isaiah was with a "relative" at the home on Grand Avenue when the dog attacked. Shelby Chadwell, who along with his cousin risked his life to save the boy, stated yesterday, "The man that owns the dog had a very tough time wrestling the dog, pinning it, and getting it under control to take it back home." Unidentified neighbors told WLKY the dog was known for its aggressiveness and had gotten loose at least two or three times in the past.