Officer, neighbors save Michigan City girl from dog attack

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (WLS) -- A 12-year-old girl's amazing recovery after she was mauled by a 140 lbs. dog in northwest Indiana is all due to a police officer and a group of neighbors who sprang into action to save her life

Neighbors did everything they could to save Winter Morgan, including the mother of one of her friends, who used a bicycle to fight off the dog. She is now speaking about what happened.

"It was pretty bad," Marissa Goodman said. "I thought she wasn't going to make it."

Goodman said that her daughter and Winter Morgan were walking to school through some back yards the morning of Friday, Nov. 10, when Winter was attacked by a giant Bull Mastiff that had somehow gotten loose.

"The dog wouldn't let go no matter what I did, and I had to hit him with a bike to get him off her," Goodman said.

Goodman was able to get Winter and her daughter into a neighbor's house, but the dog followed them.

"I got her up and put her coat around her, the dog came in the house behind her and continued to bite her," she said.

Goodman said she ran for help and Officer Scott Combs, who saw what was happening, jumped into action. He was able to get the dog contained and used his emergency training to treat Morgan at the scene.

"By the time I came back the officer had got him and secluded in the house," Goodman said.

The fate of the dog is currently unclear. It was being held in quarantine and will likely be put to sleep.

Winter is recovering at a hospital in Indianapolis. She was airlifted there Friday after the attack. Michigan City police said after three surgeries she's going to be okay.