After surviving the devastating Oklahoma tornado last month, a five-year-old boy has been pronounced dead due to a vicious attack from a bullmastiff owned by the family he was staying with in Little Rock, Ark., according to THV11 reports.

The incident that took place this past Sunday started when the boy reportedly threw a temper tantrum over wearing a pair of shoes. When Lynn Geiling, the woman whose family he was staying with tried to reason with him, the family dog saw the boy's behavior as threatening and attacked, according to Garland Count police officials.

"The dog possibly attacked because he felt threatened," stated Deputy Scott Hinojosa.

When Geiling was finally able to release the boy from the jaw of the 150-lb. dog, he was quickly rushed to Mercy Hospital in nearby Hot Springs. However, doctor's attempts to revive the boy were unsuccessful. He was soon pronounced dead due to severe neck and head lacerations, NBC News reported.

The dog, which ran off shortly after the incident, was shot dead by a friend of the family after a two-day search ended Monday afternoon.

The boy's temper tantrum could be seen as nothing more than a childish outburst, resulting from not getting his way. But could it be part of a larger cry for help, especially after the loss of his family's home and his hometown of Moore, Okla. in general?

According to Kid's Health, temper tantrums have several causes including a need for attention, frustration with uncontrollable circumstances, and anger over unwanted changes. More often than not, tantrums are a hindrance on a child's self-esteem and could be a contributing factor to depression.