The parents of a 4-year-old California boy say he was mauled by a dog while its owners just watched and walked away.
The unprovoked attack two weeks ago on the streets of San Francisco led to the hospitalization of the child, who was walking home with his nanny at the time.
"All of a sudden (the dog) appeared out of nowhere, charged towards him, chased him and pinned him down and bit him really viciously on his left arm," the victim's mom said, according to KGO-TV.
Surveillance footage appeared to show a couple eating on a restaurant patio with their unleashed dog. As the boy and his nanny walked by, the dog attacked, clamping its jaw down onto the 4-year-old.
The dog owners intervened and were able to get the dog back under control. Instead of tending to the bleeding boy, the couple retreated back to their table to finish their meal, the victim's mom said. They failed to issue an apology and left no contact information.
The boy was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
"I couldn't believe this happened to my son. I was shocked and I was heartbroken and I wished it happened to me instead of him. The job of a mom or a parent is to protect your kid and in this situation, there is nothing I could've done to protect him," said the boy's mom.
"These people need to be held accountable," she added.
The San Francisco Police Department is spearheading the investigation, but "they made it clear to not have high expectations," she said.
At the same time, her son is questioning why he fell victim to a brutal and unprovoked dog attack.
"He asked me, 'Why did a big white dog hurt me?' It absolutely broke my heart because he didn't do anything wrong," his mom explained. "He didn't understand. He is just an innocent little boy and he is very kind."
"I said, 'Dogs are really nice animals but sometimes there are bad people and there are bad dogs. It has nothing to do with you. You did everything right. You are a good boy."
