Mason Mihlberger.Photo: Tori Dawn Patrick
“If me and my husband weren’t there, my son would be dead right now,” Mason’s mother Tori Mihlberger told the outlet. “He went for his throat; he has bite marks on his throat.”
“His eyes were locked on Mason,” Tori said, per the outlet. “As I came up the dog was dragging him across the road, just throwing him around like a rag doll. I don’t know why but that dog wanted to kill my son.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Tori told the outlet that she had to kick the dog to free her son, but the dog persisted, trying to corner her husband and bite Mason. They eventually had to hold the dog down.
Mason Mihlberger after surgery.Tori Dawn Patrick
According to the outlet, authorities are still deciding what will happen to the dog or if the owners will face charges.
The boy’s aunt, Tristen Cherie Smith, created aGoFundMeto help raise money for Mason’s medical expenses.
“He’s only 5 years old, and he’s lucky to be alive,” the fundraiser’s description reads. “He has many many surgeries ahead of him.”
source: people.com