The special needs toddler, whom family identified only as Daniel, and his four older siblings were being cared for by the 28-year-old sitter when a spat erupted between a pack of pit bull-mixed dogs inside the Gilbert home on Sunday, police said.
The little boy somehow got trapped in the middle of the dogfight when he was attacked, police said. The frantic babysitter, who was not identified, was also bitten in the arms and legs as she tried in vain to pull the boy free.
“He’s barely breathing,” she told a 911 operator, according to a recording of the emergency call aired on NBC News. “The dogs attacked him. ... His lips are turning blue.”
Emergency crews arrived moments later and the boy was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he could not be saved.
“Right now, we’re looking at it as just a terrible, tragic accident,” Gilbert Police Sgt. Jesse Sanger told FOX 10 News.
But investigators are still waiting to interview the boy’s parents and the babysitter, who was still heavily sedated late Monday and being treated for her wounds.
“Once detectives are done, there’s always a possibility charges could be filed in this case,” Sanger said.
The children — who included Daniel’s 9-year-old brothers and two sisters, ages 6 and 7 — were with the babysitter while their mother was in Flagstaff and their father was in Mesa, the news station reported.
None of the other children were hurt by the dogs.
Animal Care and Control workers took the dogs to a local animal shelter, where they will remain under quarantine for 10 days.
Another dog, a hound, was also taken into custody, but was not involved in the attack. Police said none of the dogs have any history of violent behavior, azcentral.com reported.
Neighbors said they were shocked that the dogs attacked.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” one neighbor, who did not give her name, told FOX News. “Because they’re very good people. They’re aware of where the children are, what they’re doing. And they take care of disabled children.
“They’re very good people and we’ve known them for a while.”
(NY Daily News - Sept 24, 2013)
"Another dog, a hound, was also taken into custody, but was not involved in the attack."
ReplyDeletewhat a surprise