Another Dog Attack Victimizes Local Child

PENNSYLVANIA -- Another local child was attacked by a dog during the weekend.

According to State Police troopers, a pit bull attacked at two-year-old child about 4PM Sunday, October 13 in Elderton Borough.

The child was flown to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and was last listed in ‘stable’ medical condition according to the police report. The victim is to have surgery to repair ‘major’ left arm injuries inflicted.

Troopers determined the victim was temporarily living with her parents at the residence of the attack with the pit bull owner. The victim and dog were familiar with each other and while attempting to climb over a child gate, the two-year-old climbed onto the dog, causing the dog to attack.

The dog owner has had the dog put down due to the attack.

Upon preliminary investigation, no criminal charges are to be filed, but the investigation continues.

In August, a brindle/white American bull dog/German Shepherd mix attacked a nine-year-old juvenile in Kittanning Borough, also causing that child to be taken by medical helicopter to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Surgery was also required.

According to the criminal complaint filed August 15 at District Magisterial Judge James Owen’s office, those misdemeanors include one first-degree charge due to “Scrappy” causing multiple bites to the arm and one to the chest and a second-degree misdemeanor for the attack.

That owner – Stacy Baczynski – was later charged with two misdemeanor and two summary crimes since the dog was classified as a ‘dangerous dog’ by State restrictions because of another attack against a mail carrier in November 2012.

Kittanning Borough Police Chief Bruce Mathews led the August investigation.

(The Kittanning Paper - Oct 16, 2013)