Graham child death investigated after suspected large-animal attack

Deputies found a 5-year-old girl dead with large-animal-type wounds and an aggressive dog nearby, but officials had not confirmed the dog caused her death.

Fatality under investigation; dog causation not confirmedUnknown / large dog; breed not reportedGraham, WA
Date2026-08-13 · About 6:11 p.m. PDT response
LocationRural Graham-area residence; exact home not pinned
Victim(s)5-year-old girl from Spanaway
Dogs involved1 large dog present near child; causation under investigation
Injury severityFatality under investigation; dog causation not confirmed
Breed attributionUnknown / large dog; breed not reportedPierce County Sheriff reporting described a large aggressive dog near the child. The sources reviewed did not provide a reliable breed identification, and investigators had not confirmed that the dog caused the fatal injuries.
What the record currently shows

Incident summary

Pierce County deputies found a 5-year-old girl dead after she was reported missing from a Graham-area property. Investigators said she had wounds consistent with a large-animal attack and an aggressive dog was near her body; deputies killed the dog so they could reach her. Officials cautioned that they had not yet confirmed that the dog caused the injuries and were awaiting medical-examiner and forensic findings.

Media & source coverage

Video, reporting and source material

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Source provenance

Primary record used by BiteDB

5-year-old dead after “large animal attack” in Graham; aggressive dog shot and killedLocal television reporting citing Pierce County Sheriff’s Office · Published 2026-08-14 · Accessed 2026-08-27

KIRO 7, citing the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, reported that a five-year-old girl was found dead with wounds consistent with a large-animal attack while an aggressive dog was nearby; investigators had not confirmed the dog caused her death.

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Additional sources

Data-quality notes

What BiteDB does not infer

Breed is recorded only at the provenance level shown above. Missing injury details, dog history, ownership facts or circumstances remain unknown unless a reliable source establishes them. This record may be updated as police, animal-control, medical, court or follow-up reporting becomes available.