4-Year-Old Dies After Pitbull Attack

HOUMA, La. --  A 4-year-old has died following an attack by a pitbull dog that was the family pet.

The media has reported that Mia Derouen died March 25 after the family's pet attacked her while she was watching television Tuesday evening. The dog also attaked the child's mother, Megan Touchet, 27, when she pulled her daughter away from the animal.

Touchet barricaded themselves in a bedroom until emergency personnel arrived and the mother handed her wounded daughter out a window to a medical worker on a balcony at the second-story apartment.

Mia died at a hospital, and her mother remained hospitalized Wednesday.

Police had to shot the pitbull multiple times, which was still acting aggressive, according to Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis. A second pitbull was not aggressive and was not shot.

Mia's birthday would have been next week, according to media reports.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/26/5448342/pit-bull-kills-owners-4-year-old.html##storylink=cpy

12-Year-0ld Dies After Fight at New School

MOSS POINT, Miss. -- The death of Lorel Malone was reported nationally as students, staff and administrators of the Moss Point School District mourned the loss of the seventh-grader who died after a fight during a class change at Magnolia Middle School.

The 12-year-old died Friday morning, March 7, at University of South Alabama Women's and Children's Hospital in Mobile following the altercation Thursday afternoon, according to media reports.

Mississippi boy, 12, dies after school fight

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Ironically, Lorel was a new student at Magnolia Middle School, which is the district's newest academic building in 40 years, opening during 2013. He had transferred from Colmer Middle School in Pascagoula, according to local and national media reports.

Law enforcement and community leaders have reported the death may have been a case of bullying turned tragically fatal. Results of an autopsy won't be released for at least two weeks, said Moss Point Chief Keith Davis today, who asked for any information involving about the seventh-grader's death.   

Moss Point police, school district officials, including Superintendent Maggie Griffin, and relatives of Lorel held a press conference last week to discuss the circumstances of his death. She expressed deep sympathy for the family and said she knew of no previous instances of bullying involving Lorel Malone. 

Lorel's mother, LaKenisa Nobles, said he was her "sweet little boy." She has indicated that something other than bullying may have been the cause of her son's death.

Relatives said Lorel liked basketball player Derrick Rose for the Chicago Bulls. He also enjoyed baseball.

Full details of his funeral set for Saturday are pending at Unity Funeral Home. 

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/07/5397208/student-in-fight-at-moss-point.html##storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/07/5398295/moss-point-community-mourns-middle.html#storylink=cpy