Florida Boy Mauled to Death by Dogs He Stopped to Pet

Many Florida residents own dogs, but they don’t always take the proper steps to fence them in. Allowing a dangerous dog to roam freely in an unfenced yard where it could escape and attack someone is an example of negligence. When owners know their dogs might bite, they have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent an attack.

Sadly, a Florida owner did not care for their dogs, allowing them to attack and kill a young boy. The fatal incident occurred on the afternoon of January 13 in Volusia County.

The 8-year-old boy was out riding bikes with a friend when he stopped to pet two dogs in the Berry Ridge neighborhood in DeLand. The two dogs appeared to be friendly. Then they suddenly became vicious. The dogs, identified as a pit bull terrier and a herding breed such as a Catahoula, bit the boy 12 times.

The boy was mauled to death within minutes. His injuries were horrific. Law enforcement officials were appalled at what happened and stated that they were going to “do everything humanly possible to hold the owner of these dogs responsible.”

The dogs were a half mile from their home at the time of the attack. Deputies chased them back home and they were taken into custody by Volusia County Animal Services. The agency has ordered that the dogs be destroyed and are waiting for the owner to sign the dogs over for “humane euthanasia.”

The owner is known to law enforcement and has a criminal history with nine arrests for various charges, including drugs, domestic violence, and assault. She was not home at the time of the attack.

Volusia County Animal Services needs to prove negligence Deputies and animal control officers noted that the property was not fully fenced in. The dogs were able to get out easily. Neighbors told authorities that the dogs were regularly roaming the neighborhood. Neighbors said the dogs are always at large and have destroyed chickens on multiple occasions. The dogs were possibly involved in an incident in another county.

Despite all these reports, there were no 911 calls to the sheriff’s office or animal services about the dogs except for the reporting the attack on the boy. His mother was at the scene and even

jumped on top of the boy. She also attempted CPR, which was unsuccessful, as the boy died at the scene. It is unknown why the boy was the only one bitten. There were other children in the area as well as the mother, but they were not attacked by the dogs.

A dog bite fatality expert is working with the county medical examiner to gather evidence about what happened. They are trying to determine more details, such as which dog attacked first and which one mainly bit the boy.

Contact Us Today

A dog attack is a tragic situation, especially when it kills a child. Owners need to be mindful of keeping their dogs at home and not roaming the neighborhoods.

A Bradenton dog bite lawyer from Cahall Law Firm is ready to assist you with your case. We help dog bite victims recover the full amount of compensation that is available. Fill out the online form or call (941) 281-2019 to schedule a consultation today.

Source:

foxnews.com/us/florida-boy-8-maliciously-mauled-death-dogs-stopped-pet-out-riding-his-bike-sheriff