Chelsea Brigman, who was 17 at the time, and Nelson Ernest Camerino, who was 49 at the time, were charged with involuntary manslaughter after 9-day-old Addyson Camerino was attacked by the family dogs at Camerino's home in Clarkton.
Brigman's trial began Jan. 14 in Bladen County. Jurors deliberated for six hours but were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, District Attorney Jon David said in a news release.
"Therefore, the court declared a mistrial and the jury was released," he said.
After the mistrial was declared, Brigman's lawyer, Harold Pope, renewed a motion to dismiss the charges based on the evidence, David said. Superior Court Judge D. Jack Hooks Jr. granted the motion.
The state voluntarily dismissed the charge against Camerino, David said.
No one from Addyson's family could be reached for comment Wednesday. A telephone number for Camerino was disconnected.
"This incident is a tragedy for everyone involved," David said. "Those of us who work in the law enforcement community feel a responsibility to ensure that the children of Bladen County are raised in a protected and secure environment."
No one witnessed the Aug. 30, 2011, attack on the newborn, according to 911 recordings released by Bladen County authorities about a month after it happened.
Camerino told a dispatcher that he found Addyson lying face-down on the kitchen floor and that no one witnessed the attack. He said she was having trouble breathing, and the dispatcher gave instructions on how to perform resuscitation. A second 911 call indicated that three of the family's dogs had attacked Addyson.
Deputies arrived at the home about 4 p.m., soon after the calls were made.
Hubert Kinlaw, the Bladen County coroner and medical examiner, said Addyson "had to be dead" at the scene because of the injuries she suffered. He ruled her cause of death as head trauma and internal body injury.
Brigman, Camerino and his wife, Linda, and the baby's father, Charles Nelson Camerino, lived at the home with five dogs: a pit bull, bulldog, Alaskan malamute, German shepherd and German shepherd-bulldog mix. The dogs were allowed to "roam at will" in the house, David said Wednesday, but did not elaborate.
Linda Camerino was at work and Charles Camerino was detained at the Cumberland County Detention Center when the attack happened. Charles Camerino, who had been charged with obtaining property by false pretenses and misdemeanor larceny, was bailed out of jail the day after the attack.
(Fay Observer - Jan 24, 2013)
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