Shaquille O'Neal buys five-year-old Atlanta dog attack victim furniture

  • Published
Shaquille O'NealImage source, AP

Shaquille O'Neal has bought furniture for the family of a girl who was mauled during a dog attack in America.

The former NBA star invited Syrai Sanders and her parents to a Rooms to Go store in Atlanta after the five-year-old was released from hospital.

She spent two months being treated for injuries she received.

Syrai's classmate, six-year old Logan Braatz, was killed in the attack, which took place while they were walking to their school bus stop.

This tweets shows Shaquille O'Neal with Syrai Sanders., external

The family of Syrai Sanders, who needs to be fed through a tube, told Fox 5 News in Atlanta that Shaquille O'Neal has been involved with the family since the attack took place in January.

It's unclear why Shaq offered to buy the family new furniture.

Syrai Sanders and Logan Braatz were followed and attacked by a group of dogs owned by a man named Cameron Tucker.

He was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

This is a photo of the two children tweeted by a local TV news station at the time of the attack. , external

Children who were with the pair tried to pull the dogs off.

Police shot and injured one of them, a border collie, while a pit bull mix was captured and taken to an animal control centre.

A crackdown on irresponsible dog owners is being considered in Atlanta.

After leaving hospital, Syrai told local TV news station WGCL-TV, external that she'd tried to cling on to her cousin but couldn't manage to get away.

"The dogs made me fall on the street. And then they bite me on my head and my ear. I said, 'Help, help, somebody help me.'"

Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat, external and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat, external