Girl Home After Pit Bull Attack

LITHONIA, Ga. (MyFOX Atlanta) - Alexus Williams was in a lot of pain Tuesday afternoon as she left Children's Hospital. Her face is swollen, and the dog bites covering most of her body are slowly healing after a vicious attack by a pit bull her mother eventually killed.

The 12-year-old's mother, Tameka Williams, said Tuesday that she killed the dog with a brick and a knife after it attacked Alexis when she went to pick up a friend at a house in Lithonia on Saturday. She rang the doorbell, and the dog sprang upon her when the door opened.

Williams heard her daughter's screams and ran to help. The mother and uncle of Alexus' friend were trying to get the dog off her, but could not. Williams found a brick and hit the dog over the head, then took a knife the female friend was using and attacked the dog with that, too.

Her daughter fears she's "not going to be pretty anymore," Williams said. The dog bit her everywhere except her back -- on her face, jaw, ears, arms, chest and hips.

 The family is already dealing with tough financial times -- the kids sleep on couches instead of beds. Williams is trying to use what little Christmas money she had to get a bed, and now her daughter must undergo plastic surgery.

The dog's owner is cooperating with police. He was cited with a code violation for letting a dog run free. Criminal charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.