5-year-old girl killed after pit bull attack in Union County

Mckayla Woodard and her grandmother, 67-year-old Nancy Presson, were attacked by the dogs just after 11 a.m. on Rehobeth Road in Waxhaw. 

Police said Presson was hurt while trying to get the dogs off of Mckayla. 

Both were taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Union in Monroe, where Mckayla died a short time later. Presson was listed as stable on Wednesday afternoon. 

McKayla's cousin Amy Plyer, who lives across the street from where the incident occurred,  told WBTV that the girl was attacked while trying to get into a fenced yard adjacent to her home.

Plyer said Mckayla was mauled by a pit bull named Rebel, which she said tended to wander the area.

Investigators said Rebel was immediately killed by authorities. The other dog was on the loose for a brief period before being fatally shot by authorities. 

Both dogs were owned by neighbor Michael Gordon.

Waxhaw police went to Gordon's house last month and warned him about restraining his dogs.

Neighbors told WBTV that at least one of the dogs often got loose.