Mom told son to lie about pit bull attack to save dog, complaint says

WISCONSIN -- A woman whose 3-month-old son was mauled by her pit bull when she left him alone with his 8-year-old brother told the brother to lie about what happened in order to protect the dog, which had previously bitten the older boy in the face, according to a criminal complaint.

Angelina M. Lache, 27, told police the infant was attacked at a friend's house by a different dog, according to the complaint filed Friday.

She also told the older boy to not, "tell the cops the truth because they're gonna' kill Ace," according to the complaint.

 

The baby suffered bite wounds and bruises over the upper portion of his body and, as of Thursday, was intubated and in critical condition at Children's Hospital in Wauwatosa, the complaint said.

Lachi is charged with felony child neglect-great bodily harm, misdemeanor child neglect, obstructing an officer and intimidating a witness, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint:
About 9 p.m. Tuesday, after the attack, Lache was driving the infant and his brother to a hospital when she was involved in an accident at S. 16th and W. Rogers streets.

When police arrived she was frantic and screaming that her baby had been attacked by a dog. The boy was then taken to the hospital and rushed into surgery.

Lache told an officer that she and the infant were at another woman's home near S. 25th and W. Orchard St., and that the baby was attacked by the woman's dog when Lache went outside to smoke a cigarette.

But when her older son described the attack to the officer the boy said it happened at the family's home in the 1200 block of S. 17th St.

Lache finally admitted to detectives that she left the boys alone while she went to a store and that the dog attacked the infant while he was crying in his bouncy seat. She said her older son attempted to pull the dog away but that the animal was too strong.

When she returned home she saw the baby injured on a bed in his brother's room, put the boys in her car and was driving to the hospital when the accident occurred.

She also said that on separate occasions the dog bit her older son on the face, his uncle on the hand and that both required stitches. She admitted lying because she didn't want to get into trouble and did not want the dog to be put down, according to the complaint.

Lache was free Friday and is scheduled to appear in out-of-custody court Tuesday, according to state court records.

Friday evening Milwaukee police referred inquiries about the older boy to the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare.

The dog and another, smaller dog were picked up from Lachi's home by the Milwaukee Domestic Animal Control Commission, according to executive director Karen Sparapani.

The dog that attacked the child is being held on a 10-day bite quarantine and Lachi picked up the smaller animal Friday, Sparapani said.

Lachi indicated that she will pick up the dog that mauled her son when the quarantine is over, Sparapani said, adding that the commission has no authority over the disposition of the dog.
"It's up to local law enforcement or the municipality to determine if an animal is dangerous,"
Sparapani said, adding that any dog is capable of attacking someone and that small children should never be left near a dog or cat without supervision.

"That's how these bites typically occur, she said.

(JSOnline - Oct 31, 2015)