No rabies found in Newark pit bull after attack
The remains of a pit bull that attacked an 8-year-old Newark girl over the weekend tested negative for rabies, state officials said Tuesday afternoon.
Emily Ruckle, the daughter of Newark City Councilman Todd Ruckle and his wife Maria, remains at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.
Ruckle told The News Journal by email Tuesday that he and his wife have remained at the hospital by their daughter's side.
Her next surgery is scheduled for Friday, he said, "and if that goes well there may be another one on Monday."
The dog attacked Emily at the family's home in Newark on Saturday. Her older sister stopped the attack and performed first aid until help arrived. The dog was killed by a Newark police officer after it wouldn't allow paramedics to treat Emily.
The dog's remains were tested Tuesday morning at the Division of Public Health lab in Smyrna. It is standard procedure to test animals when someone is bitten, said Emily Knearl, spokeswoman for the Division of Public Health.
Newark police Lt. Mark A. Farrall said the dog had been with the family a short period.
"I know the dog was fairly new to the home," Farrall said. "Where the dog came from prior, I don't have that information."
Newark police are continuing the investigation, but Farrall said he did not have details of what caused the attack. Ultimately, the matter will be reviewed by the state Attorney General's Office to see if charges will be filed.
Animal bites are one of the most common things doctors see, according to Dr. Ryan A. Stanton, a physician in Lexington, Kentucky, and a spokesman for American College of Emergency Physicians.
"Kids are a very common victim from it because of their size," Stanton said.
Severe mauling typically requires reconstructive surgery – based on the nature and severity of the injuries – and work to restore as much function as possible to injured areas, Stanton said.
"It's definitely case-by-case," he said.
Reporter robin brown contributed to this story. Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.