The family of a nine-year-old girl, who was killed by their neighbour’s pitbull, said they were struggling to come to terms with the loss.

Gontse Ramarimela was attacked by a neighbour’s pitbull that jumped over the fence of her home in Mabopane extension on 7 June.

Her mother, Lerato Ramarimela, said the family was still in shock over how their child died.

“I am in pain,” she said.

Ramarimela said the dog jumped over the fence three times on the day of the attack.

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“The first time it jumped, I called my neighbour to come and collect it because we were afraid of it,” she said.

“When they didn’t come, my son took the dog back; however, a few minutes later, it was back again.”

She said her son tried to take the dog for the second time, but it returned yet again.

The boy then decided to tie the dog to a stationary vehicle in the yard while they waited for the neighbour.

“When we went to check, the dog had pulled the car, so we had to unchain it.”

Hardly an hour after she left home to go a funeral, she said she received a phone call informing her that her daughter had been injured.

She rushed to the hospital where the girl was taken and asked to see her.

“I knew something was wrong when the hospital staff called me to an office to talk to me,” she said.

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“I was told my little girl died even before she even got to the hospital.”

The mother then asked to see her daughter’s body.

“She was badly injured,” she said.

“I felt like my world was tumbling down seeing her like that.”

She said the dog was taken by the SPCA and the family was still in discussions with the neighbour.

Police spokesperson Captain Rheineth Motlana said police opened an inquest docket.

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“We are still investigating the case,” she said

“No arrests have been made.”

Gontse, who attended Reatlegile primary school, was laid to rest on Sunday.

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