A Bull Mastiff has viciously zapped the life of a 5-year-old child who weathered to live the tornado that ripped through their home in Moore, Oklahoma on May 20.

The child, who was then staying with family friends along with his 2-year-old sister while their parents remained in Oklahoma to rebuild their home, was reported to be crying and upset over something. The attack occurred about noon (1 p.m. ET) at a home in Jessieville on Sunday, about 50 miles west of Little Rock.

Reports said the Bull Mastiff, a large breed of domestic dog with a solid build, took the boy's tears as a sign of aggression.

The 150-pound dog immediately pounced on the boy, aiming for his head. It is not known if the boy and the dog were in the same room or location at the time of the attack.

Lynn Geiling, the dog's 50-year-old owner and a friend of the boy's parents, told investigators she tried to pull the heavy dog off the boy as she got to the scene.

The child, whose identity was withheld, was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital in Hot Springs with severe lacerations to his head and his neck.

"To me, it's heartbreaking," Garland County sheriff's Deputy Scott Hinojosa told NBC station KARK-TV of Little Rock. "I've got a 5-year-old daughter. You can't imagine what this family and friends are going through right now."

The powerful tornado that ripped Moore, near Oklahoma City on May 20 killed 24 people and injured almost 400 others.

The dog, which ran away after the attack, would likely be destroyed. Investigators found it on Monday.

Police are still determining if the dog owners will face charges.

"Never leave a child unattended with your Bullmastiff," the American Bullmastiff Association said on its Web site. "They are pack animals and will find their natural place in the pack if left to natural processes. That place may be at the top of the pecking order instead of below younger family members if left unchecked."

Bullmastiffs are bred to serve as watchdogs and to protect the home.