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Uncle charged in dog-mauling death of 2-year-old California boy

COLTON, Calif., Sept. 25 (UPI) -- A California man pleaded not guilty Wednesday in the death of his 2-year-old nephew, who was fatally mauled by a pack of pit bull mixes, authorities said.

Marco Zamudio, 23, is charged with child endangerment in the Monday death of Samuel Zamudio, who was found by a relative behind his grandmother's home in Colton outside Los Angeles with severe head and torso injuries an estimated 30 minutes after the attack, police said.

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Relatives said the 2-year-old climbed out of a rear bedroom window when no one was looking and fell into the area where the five dogs were kept, the Los Angeles Times said.

Relatives tried to revive the child, but efforts were unsuccessful. He was declared dead at a local hospital about 6 p.m. Monday.

Police said the five dogs were put down Tuesday.

Samuel's grandmother, Eustulia Zamudio, 42, the owner of the home and the dogs, was also arrested, but San Bernardino County prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to charge her, the Times said.

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