Sheriff: Stuffed animal may have sparked fatal mauling

JOHNSTON CITY -- Investigators say a dog mauling that killed a southern Illinois boy may have been set off by the stuffed animal the 3-year-old child was carrying.

Williamson County Sheriff Tom Cundiff has ruled the Saturday night death of Gabrial Mandrell-Sauerhage an accident.

Authorities say the boy pushed out the screen in a bedroom window at his family's home near Johnston City and crawled outside. He was attacked by the dogs while the family thought he was sleeping.

Cundiff says the home didn't have air conditioning and that several box fans running at the time made it difficult for adults inside the house to hear the commotion outside.

The sheriff says the dogs were euthanized Tuesday at their owners' request.