TYLER, Texas — A 3-year-old girl was mauled to death by her family's pit bull Tuesday after her mother fell asleep and the child wandered into the back yard, police said.

Investigators said Bevelon Austin apparently fell asleep and never noticed that her daughter Ahleah had wandered into the yard where 13 pit bulls were chained.

Mike Lusk, a Smith County Sheriff's Department detective, said a member of the family has already used a gun to kill the dog responsible for the mauling.

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The family's other 12 pit bulls were taken to a veterinarian's office to be euthanized, per the request of Ahleah's uncle, Marcus Ford, who owned the dogs.

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