Police are investigating after a dog mauled and killed a 3-month-old baby boy in northeast New Jersey over the weekend and injured the infants’ mom, officers mentioned.
The deadly attack took place on the household’s home in Woodbridge in northern Middlesex County, simply east of Staten Island, MyCentralJersey.com, a part of the USA TODAY Network reported.
The early morning mauling comes on the heels of not less than three different reported canine assaults throughout the nation thus far this 12 months − three that have been deadly.
Just after 6:15 a.m. Saturday, officers with the Woodbridge Police Department responded to a home in Avenel Township and located an unresponsive child believed to have been attacked by the household’s pit bull, officers with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office reported.
The child was pronounced lifeless on the scene, officers mentioned.
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Mother, 21, additionally critically injured in attack
The child’s mom, age 21, was additionally critically injured by the canine, Brynn Krause, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s workplace instructed USA TODAY on Monday.
The mom suffered cuts to the face, legs and arms, Krause mentioned, and was taken to a hospital to be handled for her accidents and launched that very same day.
The kid’s 27-year-old father was additionally taken to a hospital to be handled for unspecified accidents, prosecutors mentioned.
The canine was subsequently put down by a veterinarian because of this incident, Krause mentioned.
No fees pending however case stays below investigation
The case remained open and lively on Monday, a Woodbridge police detective instructed USA TODAY.
A spokesperson for the police division deferred all questions concerning the mauling to the prosecutor’s workplace.
As of Monday no fees have been pending within the case, Krause mentioned, however the case remained below investigation.
Authorities haven’t launched the names of the infant boy or his mother and father.
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Family canine assaults reported thus far in 2024
So far this 12 months, regulation enforcement has responded to not less than 4 reported canine assaults throughout the nation, together with essentially the most recent one in New Jersey.
In addition to Saturday’s killing, the next maulings have taken place since Jan. 1:
Feb. 14; Clifton, South Carolina: Four dogs (unknown breeds) attacked an 11-year-old boy as he walked to the bus cease. The injured boy’s mom, Amy Lowe, mentioned her son suffered 60 canine bites in the course of the attack. The boy was flown to a hospital to be handled for “very critical accidents,” police mentioned.
After the attack, two of the dogs from the pack have been euthanized, whereas the opposite two escaped, in keeping with police. An proprietor for the dogs had not been recognized as of final month.
Feb. 15; Compton, California: A 35-year-old man died after he was mauled by not less than one in every of his pit bulls whereas officers mentioned he was probably feeding them. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to his Compton home after a pal discovered him lifeless, the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control reported. Deputies got here throughout 5 grownup pit bulls and eight puppies within the yard and swiftly corralled the dogs right into a neighboring yard so they may attain the person. The dogs have been taken into animal management’s custody with the permission of the sufferer’s father, officers mentioned.
Feb. 26; Hartselle, Alabama: An Olde English Bulldog fatally attacked a neighbor’s youngster driving his bike, who entered the animal’s yard, mentioned Morgan County Sheriff Ron Puckett, who referred to as the mauling “an incredible tragedy.” Four-year-old Beau Clark died following the mauling, the sheriff mentioned.
No fees have been filed within the case, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned, because the animal was securely maintained on its property and had no historical past of violent or aggressive conduct. The canine was euthanized following the attack.
In an identical case in 2022, a mom suffered main accidents after two household dogs attacked a child and toddler on the household’s Tennessee home. Kirstie Bennard suffered vital accidents when she tried to intervene within the attack on her 5-month-old boy, Hollace Dean, and 2-year-old lady, Lilly Jane, family and police mentioned. Both youngsters died.
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Anyone with details about the New Jersey canine mauling case is requested to contact Woodbridge police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Contributing: Sarah Al-Arshani and Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY; MyCentralJersey.com employees
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and observe her on X @nataliealund.
