Newly Adopted Dog Kills Infant and Other Unfortunate Lowcountry Incidents of Child Injury and Death
Over the weekend, your Charleston accident lawyers at Howell and Christmas, LLC were informed of a truly tragic incident involving a family's new dog and their 2-month-old baby boy born on Valentine's Day. According to reports, the 2-month-old was apparently pulled from an infant's swing inside his family's mobile home and his legs dismembered by a golden retriever-Labrador mix. The dog was named "Lucky," and had been described as a gentle and friendly creature. Authorities and investigators have called the dog attack one of the most gruesome seen on the job, as well as one the saddest days in their respective careers.
After questioning, authorities have learned that the infant's father was sleeping in a bed with the infant's 3-year-old sibling and the family's other canine at the time of the fatal dog attack. The infant's mother was with their 7-year-old at a doctor's appointment. The dog responsible for the attack (Lucky) was adopted only a few weeks ago, after its previous owners wanted to give it up. The infant's family had cared for the dog as "dog sitters" prior to adopting him. Authorities have not been informed of any past complaints of aggressive or malicious behavior.
What seems to be the most surprising aspect of this incident, is that the infant's father did not wake up at any point during the dog attack, despite his being in a nearby room with the door open. According to officials, the father was still asleep when the infant's mother returned home to find her baby boy on the floor by the swing, legs separated from his body, and his abdomen ruptured and bleeding from numerous dog bites. The infant was rushed to Summerville Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. No charges have been filed against the parents, but investigations by numerous state and local agencies are ongoing.
