A mother and daughter in Mentor, Ohio, were walking to a park in early October, only for a terrifying incident to take place. The child was attacked by a pitbull, later requiring immediate surgery. Following this, the mother has since recounted the terrifying incident with various outlets.
The Mother Tried To Fight Off The Dog With A Water Bottle & A Plant Pot
Alexis Higham was walking to a park with her daughter, Carina Palladino, on Saturday afternoon on October 4, 2025. Things took a dark turn when the child was attacked by a violent dog.
According to the 31-year-old mother and care worker, she couldn’t see the pitbull’s owner. She claimed that that animal then went for her daughter’s face. Alexis reportedly tried to fight off the dog with a water bottle and a plant pot.
According to The Mirror, Alexis recounted the horrifying incident with NeedToKnow. She shared, “I thought if the dog bit her one more time, it would kill her. We saw the dog and I told Carina to keep walking. It latched on to her face, ripped her to the ground and started mauling her face.”
“I reached for her body and the dog latched onto my left hand, so I used my right hand to put Carina on top of my head. The dog was still ripping my hand. I put Carina on top of a picnic table and used a plant pot to beat the dog off. I was screaming and all I could think was that I was going to die, I was going to bleed to death.”
Alexis later claimed that the owner eventually came out of a nearby house and brought the pitbull inside. A bystander at the scene also called for an ambulance.
A Family Friend Also Set Up A GoFundMe Page To Help Following The Incident
Alexis shared, “I was in a lot of pain. My hands were bleeding, Carina’s face was bleeding. I went into Superman mode. I just needed to save her.”
Carina was immediately taken to reconstructive surgery. Reportedly, she required the use of a syringe to eat following what happened. Her mother also required stitches in her hand following the incident.
According to People, the dog involved in the attack was later euthanized. A spokesperson for the City of Mentor shared, “The dog involved in the attack was surrendered willfully and euthanized.” They continued, “The investigation is ongoing. It has not yet been determined if charges will be filed.”
A family friend also established a GoFundMe to help cover expenses as mother and daughter heal from the experience. As it read, “This has been the most painful and frightening experience of their lives. They are now facing unexpected medical expenses, lost work time, and the emotional recovery that comes after something so horrific.”
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.