Alabama girl, 4, dies after being attacked by dogs, police say

  Authorities are investigating the death of a 4-year-old girl who was mauled by dogs in central Alabama Wednesday afternoon.
The attack happened on the south side of Tallassee on Lower Tuskegee Road, Tallassee Police Chief Jimmy Rodgers told WAKA-TV. The girl was playing in the yard when she was attacked, Rodgers said.
"Her grandfather went out to check on her and spotted a large dog standing over her. There may have been other dogs involved in the attack. He yelled at the dog and it ran off. He called 911 and officers responded," Rodgers told the Montgomery Advertiser.
The girl's name was not released, and few other details were immediately available about the attack on Thursday.
"We are working with the district attorney's office to determine what, if anything, can be done to the dogs," Rodgers said. "We have identified the owner of the shepherd mix. We are investigating to see if any criminal charges can be filed." The owner's identity hasn't been released.
Rodgers said the City of Tallassee has a law prohibiting dog owners from letting their pets roam. However, the newspaper reports that the attack happened in an area of Tallassee that falls under Tallapoosa County's jurisdiction.