Woman, 2 children attacked by recently adopted dog in Northeast Philadelphia

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA -- Authorities say a mother and her two children were attacked by a pit bull they had recently adopted just days earlier.

It was just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday that police received calls for a dog attacking his adoptive family in the 9400 block of Lansford Street in Northeast Philadelphia.

Police say the 2-year-old pit bull attacked a 33-year-old mother, her 11-year-old son and 10 year-old daughter. All three suffered bites to the arm.

"After being bitten, two of the children ran from the house and went to a neighbor's house, the 33-year-old mother ran and locked herself in the bathroom," said Chief Inspector Scott Small, Philadelphia Police.

Brian Brennan identified the victims as 33-year-old Nicole Keppol and her children Chris Crow and Haley Crowe.

"It's just crazy, and I guess it happened so fast - I got here as quick as I can and everybody was hysterical," said Brennan.

After being bitten, the children ran to the home of Bridget Cram-McCandless.

"They were crying and we had sat them down, calm them down, administered first aid," she said.

The mother and her daughter were taken to Aria-Torresdale Hospital where they were treated and released.

The 11-year-old boy was transferred to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for his injuries.

Police say it's unclear why the dog turned on the family that had just adopted him on Monday from the Philadelphia Animal Care and Rescue.

"According to the family and according to ACCT employees, the dog was very friendly that's why it was allowed to be adopted by the family and here it is two days later on Wednesday, for some unknown reason the dog turned vicious," said Chief Inspector Small.

"Everything seemed fine and on the second day something must have triggered him, I don't know, it just started attacking," said Brennan.

Animal Control was called to retrieve the dog.