Kirstie Jane Bennard: Baby boy and his two year-old sister mauled to death by two pet pit bulls

Two Tennessee children have been identified after a gruesome fatal dog attack on Wednesday, reportedly carried out by the family’s two pit bulls.

Hollace Dean Bennard, five months, and Lilly Jane Bennard, two, were pronounced dead at the scene after being attacked by the dogs in Shelby County, Tennessee, on Wednesday.

The children’s mom, Kirstie Jane Bennard, 30, was also left critically injured in the attack and was receiving treatment at Regional One Health.

Kirstie Jane Bennard husband of five years, Colby Bennard, who manages a Harley-Davidson dealership in Memphis, was reportedly unharmed.

Hollace and Lilly were their only children.

What led up to attacks? 

Eight years ago, Colby shared a picture of two pit bulls on Facebook and referred to the animals as ‘house lions’ while chatting with Kirstie.

The attack happened around 3.30pm on Wednesday inside the family’s $360,000, five bedroom Sylvan Road home in Millington, Tennessee – near Memphis.

It is unclear what caused the pit bulls to become aggressive.

The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and the Sheriff’s Office declined to comment further.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office affirmed that the animals being in possession of Animal Control the dailymail reported.

Authorities said they were continuing to investigate while it remained unclear if any criminal charges would follow. 

Bennard’s best friend, Kelsey Gallini, in a WREG Facebook post about the tragedy said that she was furious about the news coverage, questioning why ‘something so traumatic and unimaginable [had] to be so publicized.’