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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) –The alleged owner of the pit bull that attacked a child Monday in south Jackson has been arrested.
Meanwhile, the search for the animal continues.
Two days after Marquevenia Keys, 9, was bitten by a pit bull across from his Judy Street home, he told Jackson Animal Control officers that the dog they just caught wasn't the one that attacked him.
"They brought the dog, but it wasn't the right dog," said the third grader.
That pit bull tore away part of his upper lip.
Teeth marks remain on his stomach where he was also bitten.
"The dog that attacked my son they took it off somewhere," said the boy's mother Melissa Charleston. "When I went down to that home and picked my son up that particular day the dog was on the side of the house tied up, and it was a brown dog with a white strip."
The family moved to the street about a month ago.
Marquevenia said he was playing beside the Lee Elementary School fence when the dog attacked.
Jackson police arrested LeSean Pickett, 33 years old at 319 Judy Street, just down two doors down from the boy's home.
"He's hindering the investigation," said J.P.D. Officer Colendula Green.
Pickett is charged with interfering with the duties of an animal control officer, failure to provide standard care and treatment and failure to maintain control of an animal.
The charges are all misdemeanors.
"They allowed him a little time to get the dog and bring it back to animal control which he did not bring the dog back," said Officer Green. "He made up excuses saying that the dog had been bitten by a snake three months ago".
Animal control officers said the brown pit bull was taken because it was malnourished.
The search continues for the animal accused in the attack.
Tuesday WLBT captured video of several dogs unchained and walking around the area.
The following day no dogs were seen roaming the street while animal control officers investigated.
Pickett is expected to make an initial appearance in Jackson Municipal Court Thursday morning.
The child's mother plans to file civil charges against the dog's owner for restitution in covering medical expenses and other damages.
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Also on WLBT.com:
Child attacked by pit bull
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
