A grandfather and his infant granddaughter were pronounced dead after authorities in Tennessee found pitbulls mauling the 3-month-old girl, officials said.
The district attorney general's office for Tennessee's 14th Judicial District said in a news release Wednesday that authorities are still trying to determine the cause of death for James Alexander Smith, 50, and his granddaughter, and whether the mauling occurred after they were already dead.
The prosecutor's office said it isn't clear if criminal charges will be filed in the case.
The apparent attack occurred at a residential address in Tullahoma, roughly 75 miles southeast of Nashville. Responding police officers killed the dogs to stop the attack, according to the release.
"Regrettably, it was obvious that both victims were deceased," the release states.
District Attorney Craig Northcutt said the dogs stayed at the home where the mauling occurred but it wasn't clear who they belonged to.
NBC affiliate WSMV of Nashville reportedthat the animals were among seven pitbulls that lived there.
A neighbor, Rebecca Adams, told the station that dogs routinely escaped from the family's yard and chased other neighborhood pets. But she said she'd never seen them be aggressive toward people, the station reported.
The district attorney general's office said investigators are examining the animals' history and "other potential issues that may have contributed to this situation."
According to the release, the other dogs in the home were taken by the local animal control agency.
