A 3-year-old boy was killed and his mother severely injured in an attack by a neighbor’s two pit bulls.

An arrangement of flowers has been placed on the front lawn outside the family’s Laurel Street home in Carteret.

The Middlesex Prosecutor’s Office says that the attack happened Tuesday afternoon in the family’s backyard.

Neighbors say that the dogs belonged to the homeowner located directly behind the victims’ home. A neighbor tells News 12 New Jersey that the dogs did not wear collars and regularly could be seen roaming around the neighborhood.

News 12 has been told that the dogs crawled through a hole in the fence.

“At first I thought she was playing with the dogs. I thought she bought a new dog,” says neighbor Devin Derjeet. “The two dogs came underneath the fence and they just grabbed the little kid.”

Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman issued a statement that said, "As a small community our Carteret family mourns the heart-wrenching loss of our young neighbor and we pray for this young mother and family in this time of unimaginable grief."

Authorities have confirmed that both dogs have been euthanized. According to municipal records from the Board of Health, the dogs were not registered with the town, as is required by law.

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to the family to help with expenses may do so through the city’s nonprofit 501c3 Charity Trust Fund. Checks may also be mailed to Charity Trust Fund at Carteret Borough Hall or dropped in the lockbox in front of the building. One hundred percent of funds raised will be provided to the family for medical care and funeral expenses.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the attack and will determine if the owner will face criminal charges.

Anyone who may have information about the attack should contact Detective Anthony Ramos of the Carteret Police Department at 732-541-4181, or Detective Mark Morris of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-4194.