‘She needed to save her son’: Mom dies shielding 6-year-old son from dog attack

PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) — An Arizona mother died after throwing herself between her young son and three attacking dogs, her family said.

Emily Panuco, 26, leaves behind a husband, a 6-year-old son and a 7-month-old baby.

Her mother-in-law, Esther Panuco, described Emily Panuco as a devoted mother who did not hesitate to protect her child.

“I think that was her first instinct, that she didn’t even think about what would happen to her, that she needed to save her son,” Esther Panuco said.

Emily Panuco is from Parker, Arizona. On Feb. 27, she drove her 6-year-old son across the state line to her mother’s home in Big River, California, to see a litter of puppies.

Esther Panuco said the puppies belonged to an abandoned neighborhood dog.

“The neighbor moved away, left it [the dog], so [Emily’s mom] was putting food out for it, so it kind of stayed there,” Esther Panuco said.

According to local authorities, when her son walked toward the puppies to pet them, three adult dogs attacked him. Emily Panuco stepped in, placing herself between her son and the dogs.

“She somehow got him into the car, and maybe she wasn’t able to get in because the car was still running, the door was open,” Esther Panuco said.

The 6-year-old boy survived the attack with bites to his legs, arms and back. Emily Panuco’s mother later found Emily Panuco’s body after arriving home.

“Her mom is grieving very much, too; she found her, she was not home. When she got there later on, they had been there for a little while,” Esther Panuco said.

The 6-year-old son witnessed the entire attack.

“He saw everything, he saw the whole attack,” Esther Panuco said.

The family has a GoFundMe set up to help with medical bills, funeral expenses and the cost of specialized therapy for the 6-year-old boy.

Local authorities said the three adult dogs involved were humanely euthanized.