Alabama Girl, 9, Mauled by Dog That “Grabbed Her Face” — Family Describes Terrifying Attack and Fight to Save Her Life
The sun was still high in the sky when 9-year-old Delyla McCay stepped outside that afternoon, unaware that her life was about to change forever. What should have been an ordinary day became a nightmare within seconds, one that her family says will stay with them for the rest of their lives. In a moment of pure horror, a dog lunged toward her, clamping its jaws around her face and dragging her to the ground before tearing into her back. By the time adults rushed to help, Delyla’s small body was covered in blood, her face slashed open, her lips shredded, and her nose nearly torn apart.
What happened next was a frantic race to keep her alive.
According to her family, the attack unfolded so quickly that no one saw the initial lunge. A neighbor heard screaming, then saw the little girl pinned under the dog. Witnesses say the animal was “locked onto her face,” refusing to let go even as adults punched, kicked, and pulled desperately to separate it from the child. At one point, someone believed the dog had loosened its grip — only for it to latch on again, this time onto her back as she tried to crawl away.
By the time paramedics arrived, Delyla was conscious but fading in and out, blood dripping into her eyes as she tried to speak. Responders placed bandages on her face as best they could, but there was simply too much damage to contain. Video footage captured in the moments after the attack shows first responders carrying her from the scene, her face soaked in blood, her clothes torn, the ground stained beneath her.
Her mother, Katie McCay, says she will never forget the moment she saw her daughter’s injuries for the first time. She describes it as a vision “no parent should ever have to see — your baby looking like she’s been through a war.”
Miraculously, doctors say her injuries, as devastating as they are, could have been even worse. The dog narrowly missed her carotid artery, and surgeons say a few millimeters in another direction could have cost Delyla her life. Instead, she faces months — perhaps years — of reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and emotional healing.
Surgeons worked for hours to save the structure of her nose and lips. The bite wounds were deep, tearing through skin, muscle, and soft tissue. Doctors had to rebuild portions of her face and place temporary grafts to protect the injured areas. Even after multiple procedures, she still cannot eat solid foods and struggles with swelling and pain around her mouth. Her back required its own round of stitches, the wounds jagged and uneven where the dog’s teeth tore through skin.
For a child who had only ever lost baby teeth, waking up to find her face stitched and swollen was disorienting and frightening. Family members say the first thing she asked was whether she still looked like herself. They told her yes — because they needed her to stay strong — even though they knew the truth was far more complicated. Delyla will carry scars for the rest of her life.
The dog involved in the attack has since been removed from the property. Authorities have not released its breed or confirmed ownership, though neighbors say it had been seen roaming in the area before. The incident remains under investigation, and officials may pursue charges depending on the outcome of medical reports and witness interviews.
Meanwhile, Delyla’s school community has rallied around her. Teachers set up messages of support. Classmates sent notes covered in glitter and stickers. Her cheer team — the Bulldogs — created a video telling her she’s still their “brightest star.” Her coach, visibly emotional, said she used to be the girl who smiled through every drill, even when she fell during practice. Now, she faces the hardest physical fight of her life.
Her mother says Delyla is already asking when she can get back to cheering, even though she can barely speak without pain. “That’s just who she is,” her mom says. “She doesn’t want to be seen as a victim. She still wants to be the girl who does her routines with a big smile.”
But beneath that courage is a child who wakes up crying, afraid to look at herself in the mirror. Her nightmares are vivid. Sometimes she wakes up clawing at her face, convinced the dog is still on top of her. Her mother says she now asks whether every dog she sees is safe, even if it’s behind a fence or on a leash.
Doctors say she will need trauma counseling as part of her recovery, especially because children her age often struggle to understand why something so violent happened without warning. For now, she is surrounded by family members during the day and sleeps in her mother’s room at night.
The family has been open in sharing the graphic reality of the attack, posting photos to raise awareness about the seriousness of dog-related injuries. They say they do not want another family to experience what they have. Statistically, more than 4.5 million dog bites occur every year in the United States, according to the CDC. More than half involve children. But most cases do not make headlines. Families treat the injuries, heal in private, and move on.
Delyla’s case struck a deeper nerve because of the severity — and because she is so young.
Friends have set up a fundraising page to support ongoing medical costs. Even with health insurance, the family expects more surgeries across the next few years, including cosmetic reconstruction and scar-minimizing procedures as she grows. Each surgery must be timed with her development. Doctors cannot finalize major facial reconstruction until she is fully grown, meaning she may live for years with visible scars.
Her mother says she is prepared to walk this road with her daughter. “The physical pain will fade,” she says. “The scars will heal, even if they don’t disappear entirely. But what she needs most is to know that she is still loved, still beautiful, and still whole.”
For now, the community continues to support her. Handwritten cards arrive daily. A local restaurant hosted a fundraiser. An entire cheer squad from another town mailed matching ribbons for her team to wear in her honor. Her mother says every small kindness feels like a stitch placed gently over a wound.
As Delyla recovers, she has asked her mom to keep posting her progress online — even the hard parts. She wants people to see what happened, not to scare them, but to show what it means to keep going.
“She told me, ‘If people see I’m brave, maybe they’ll be brave too,’” her mother says.
And that, more than anything, speaks to the spirit of a little girl who faced something unthinkable — and is still smiling through swollen lips and stitches.
One step at a time, she is rebuilding. One day at a time, she is healing. And even in the aftermath of violence, she is still choosing hope.
