In an exclusive interview with NY1, Saquina Jubeark says she's beyond distraught over the tragic loss of her son after he was viciously mauled by the dog Friday night.
Three of the boy's siblings were also in the apartment at the time of the attack.
"My kids know I love them, I'm a good parent, I would understand if I were some mean parent... I didn't care about my kids. That was not the case," said Jubeark. "If I could take my son's place I would, and I can't. My baby is gone, there's nothing I can do."
Police say officers were called to the home located at 2169 Pacific Street in Brownsville just after 9 p.m. where they found Jaylen Graham with bite wounds on his head, neck and torso.
He was taken to Brookdale Hospital were he was pronounced dead.
Jubeark says she tried her best to save her son, fighting to pull the dog off and screaming for help.
"We seen what happened. The dog was over the baby. He wouldn't move, and Jaylen was just laying there...he was laying in a puddle of blood and they couldn't get the baby out," said Family Friend Ashley De La Cruz.
Some neighbors who spoke with NY1 say they were not surprised by the attack, claiming the apartment where the boy's mother, boyfriend and three siblings live was like a zoo with aggressive dogs and other animals.
Jubeark denies the claim and says the apartment only housed two dogs, a parrot and fish.
"I called them monster dogs, yeah. They were a different kind of animal. I'm not even sure what they were, actually," said another neighbor. "I think everybody was pretty afraid. Nobody walked near them or you couldn't pet them or anything like that."
Damian "Dread" Jones w/the Cane Corso Mastiff mix which reportedly killed little Jayelin |
Jubeark says the previous owner of the dog had told her the dog was good with kids and added that she and her [boyfriend] would never have brought the dog into the home if they thought there was any danger to anyone.
Animal Care and Control says the dog is between seven and eight years old and will be quarantined for 10 days.
Police have ruled the death an accident.
(NY1 - May 28, 2011)
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