Mother slept while Luling toddler was mauled, killed by pit bull

keyetv.com ^

[Chet 99]

The Central Texas toddler attacked and killed by a pit bull wandered into a backyard with the dog while his mother slept.

18-month-old Tyson Miller died Thursday in Luling.

Police say the child woke up before any of the adults in the house and walked outside through an open door.

His mother, Melissa Miller, woke up between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m. She told police she searched the house then went to the backyard and discovered her son with severe wounds to his head and neck.

Police say it appeared the child had been dead for "a while" but they don't know how long.

Miller and her son had been living at the home on Hackberry Street for about two weeks with her boyfriend. A friend of Miller's boyfriend, Amanda Ayala, had asked him to keep the dog there. It was chained during the attack.

Police say the dog does not have a history of aggressiveness or complaints.

Ayala has signed a voluntary euthanasia order for the animal.

The Caldwell County District Attorney will investigate the incident.

[Leisler]

Pit Bulls are sweet little babies.
The kid must of asked for it.

/sarc.

[fleagle]

So sad...but this is the kind of tragedy that happens when people are idiots.

[She hits a grand slam tonight]

the pit was on it’s 1st night there & chained at that & a small child walked to it in the yard.
what else would you expect, I’ve have expected any dog to attack.
That back door should have been better secure.

[behzinlea]

Then you wouldn’t mind if a parent or other concerned relative went over with a shotgun and took care of the dog? It’s just a natural response, after all.

[fleagle]

I hear that, but if it happened to be, say, a Pomeranian chained out back we wouldn't have a dead child.

I have respect for all breeds of dogs, but a dog like a pitty in the wrong hands is just too dangerous.

And absolutely, the house needed to be secured to prevent a child from wandering outside. This was an entirely preventable tragedy on many levels.

[null and void]

I read it as middle of the day. Otherwise, pretty much what you said, most dogs wouldn’t lash out, but chained up in an unfamiliar environment, “abandoned” by it’s owner, it’s a bit of a craps-shoot with any breed.

[Thank You Rush]

“”And absolutely, the house needed to be secured to prevent a child from wandering outside.””

We’re talking about noon or after and the mother wasn’t out of bed yet?

[kanawa]

Kid’s dead, save your sarcasm.

[LongElegantLegs]

Terrible.
A neglected pit bull is a tragedy waiting to happen.

[deport]

Related Article

• Luling 2-year-old killed in suspected dog attack

Luling Police received a 911 call Thursday afternoon about a pit bull biting a child. When they arrived at 963 North Hackberry Street, they found the two year old boy dead.

Authorities tell CBS 42 Reporter Katherine Stolp the child had bite marks covering his body. The two year old was already dead, when police found him lying in the back yard behind a mobile home. Also, in the back, police found a female pit bull chained to the ground.

As investigators tried to figure out exactly how the boy died Thursday afternoon, stunned neighbors told CBS they saw the fatal attack with their own eyes.

“It was pretty bad, the dog, the pit bull mauled the baby and kept going for its head until he killed him,” said neighbor Carol Green.

Police said the chained pit bull attacked the boy in a wooded area, where two other dogs still remained Thursday night.

“There were some adults present (during the attack), but who and their relationship with the kid, I have no idea,” Luling Police Chief, John Cochran said.

“The dogs, they’ve never given anyone a problem, I don’t know what happened,” family friend Jenevee Escovedo said. “It’s crazy.”

Friends of the family walked in and out of the mobile home hours after the attack, only a few, would stop to briefly talk with us.

“It was somebody else’s dog,” an unidentified man told the swarm of media.

“The dog was pregnant so they thought it would be fine,” Escovedo said.

The friends also told us about the deceased two year old boy, who they called Tyson.

“He was a real good kid, real quiet and playful,” the unidentified family friend said.

Police took family members and other adults present during the attack in for questioning, but have not yet pressed any charges.

“I’m still stunned and shocked because a little two year old, you would think, where were the parents, you know,” Green asked? “It’s just sad.”

The pit bull is at the Luling pound. Police say they will release more information in this ongoing fatal investigation on Friday.

An autopsy is planned for later this week to determine the exact cause of the child’s death.

[Leisler]

"I’ve have expected any dog to attack" Yeah right. What other pearls of wisdom do you have, blacks and watermelon, Jews and money, Irish and booze? You know everything being the same and all.

[Wicket]

Sad story.

Yeah, my sheltie would have ripped his leg off. And my neighbor’s Golden Retriever would have savaged him unmercifully. Right. . .

The caregivers were negligent - getting up just after noon - I would guess druggies.

But the dog was and is dangerous - more so than many breeds, which are more likely to be protective than attack a child that young. Many dogs recognize youngsters across species lines - toddler, kitten, puppy. Herding breeds in particular, but many others share the characteristic.

[ReagansShinyHair]

No kidding, my son’s almost two and there’s no way he’ll let me sleep past about two seconds after he wakes up. All I hear is “Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” Who could sleep through that? And wouldn’t she have heard the dog barking and stuff? Or did the pit attack a small “prey animal” looking child without barking or carrying on?

Plus, after my son got too big for the crib, we put a child gate on the door to his room so that he would be safe until we can get to him. I feel sorry for the mom that such a horrible thing happened to her baby, but she could have taken some precautions and cared for him better and avoided the whole tragedy. She could have started with not allowing a pit to be near her baby.

[null and void]

“The dog was pregnant so they thought it would be fine,” Escovedo said.

Um. no.

[kanawa]

"“The dog was pregnant so they thought it would be fine,” Escovedo said."

I can't recall any discussion that a pregnant female would be more likely to bite/attack.

"It is difficult to determine the reproductive status of many dogs involved in fatal dog bites over the past 37 years. With bitches, it was rarely noted whether she was intact, in estrus or pregnant at the time of the attack"¹

In estrus and in the presence of a male there are numerous cases of fatalities
resulting when a child came between the dog and the bitch.

¹Fatal Dog Attacks, pg14, Karen Delise

[kanawa]

If you don’t have anything constructive to contribute
why don’t you PO and let the grownups talk.

[mkjessup]

Kid’s dead, save your sarcasm.

Hey, what's this? Leisler gets five words with extra syllables, and all I got this morning was a mere 'grow up'?!?

I'm insulted.

[mkjessup]

If you don’t have anything constructive to contribute why don’t you PO and let the grownups talk.

Well who are YOU going to talk to?

[kanawa]

Many dogs recognize youngsters across species lines

Nor worth taking a chance.

Children between the age of 1 day old and 12 years old are the victims in 79% of all fatal dog attacks. Children are particularly vulnerable to canine aggression for a number of reasons, the most obvious being their small size and inability to fend off a dog attack.

Toddlers and young children are usually at or just below eye-level with a large-sized dog. It stands to reason that the first bite a dog delivers to a toddler will be in the face or head region. A child's screaming or flailing would more than likely incite an aggressive dog even more, with the child unable to escape the dog.

Another serious vulnerability children have is the inability to recognize or comprehend the significance of an aggressive display by a dog. The vast majority of children(besides infants) killed by dogs are males, aged 2 and 4 respectively (see Chart B). A probable scenario is; upon approaching a dog, particularly a chained dog, the child is given a warning, displayed as either a stiffened position, raised hackles, and/or growl. The toddler, not realizing the implications, continues his approach, and the dog may consider this a challenge or a threat. Chained dogs, having no option to retreat, may lash out at this perceived threat or encroachment.²

²ibid. pg14-15

[China Clipper]

Authorities tell CBS 42 Reporter Katherine Stolp the child had bite marks covering his body. The two year old was already dead, when police found him lying in the back yard behind a mobile home. Also, in the back, police found a female pit bull chained to the ground.

And then the kicker.....

An autopsy is planned for later this week to determine the exact cause of the child’s death.

Hmmmm, let me guess.......Cause of death was the pit bull's bites, right?

What are we paying these people for for G*ds sake?

Morons!!!!!

[kanawa]

And my neighbor’s Golden Retriever would have savaged him unmercifully. Right. . .

I wish people would take seriously the damage that all dogs can do and particularly larger dogs. This required no searching by me, I was listening to the radio when the news of the attack broke...

Child attacked by Golden Retriever

TheStar.com - News - Child attacked by Golden Retriever

March 13, 2007
Tamara Cherry
Staff Reporter

A 3-year-old Oshawa girl was taken to The Hospital for Sick Children this afternoon after being bitten in the face by a Golden Retriever.

Emergency crews were called to a home in the Thorton Rd. N. and Rossland Rd. W. area where the youngster was attacked while playing outside with the dog just after 12 p.m., Durham Region police spokesperson Dave Selby said.

"The little girl (was) at the neighbour's house being babysat and the dog (was) at the house being dog-sat," Selby said. "At some point she was bitten in the cheek."

The girl was taken to Oshawa General Hospital but has since been transferred to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children [by air ambulance], said Duty Inspector Scott Burns, adding he's never heard of a dog attack involving a Golden Retriever. While the child's injuries are considered non life-threatening, "it's a serious bite to the face," Selby said. No charges have been laid, but the dog has been seized by animal control, Selby said.
link

[Partisan Gunslinger]

...adding he's never heard of a dog attack involving a Golden Retriever.

Oops. Bad example for a pit defender.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

And now a happy moment :

http://www.eunicetoday.com/content/pit-bull-attacks-child-responding-officer-kills-animal

“When the officer approached the scene, the dog turned on him and was “euthanized”, according to the incident log.”

Hopefully this little one will live...

[Leisler]

I’ll do as I please, as always.

[kanawa]

Oops. Bad example for a pit defender.

I AM NOT A PIT BULL DEFENDER,
I am an advocate of responsible dog ownership.

I gave Chet two links to dogs attacks in the last couple of days so he could post them. He has not done so. He, for some reason doesn't exhibit the same concern for victims when there is not a "pit bill" involved.

If he had posted them I would be doing the same thing I'm doing now, trying to analysis the attacks and discuss ways in which they could be prevented.

As for the police officer's statement. I don't either expect him to be an expert on dog bites nor familiar with every attack that takes place in the city of Oshawa.

And if I was concerned about it, how then should I react in the case posted here when according to a related source, "This is a first for us," said Chief Cochran."
link

[libravoter]

While the child's injuries are considered non life-threatening, "it's a serious bite to the face," Selby said.

Notice the key words here: "non-life threatening".

Even if a pit bull is no more likely to attack then another breed, the same analogy could be made using a rocket-launcher and a handgun. The rocket-launcher may be no more likely to be fired than the handgun ... but if fired, the damage is going to different.

[Leisler]

We would really would need to run double blind tests with live children, by each dog type and sex and then under different approaches, wouldn’t we? Other wise it’s all just junk for those susceptible to sloppy...’papers’. I wouldn’t ever call them studies. It’s all just slightly glorified bias, cargo culting as some sort of science. But then, any adult would know that.

[kcvl]

Maybe the ‘mother’ should stop sleeping around with ‘boyfriends’ and take care of her child. Eighteen months old and wandering around while she was ‘sleeping’. Sure.

[Trailerpark Badass]

You're blaming this on the dog?

Wow.

And it's must have...

[eastforker]

Making a decision to own a dog or having children are equally serious.Some people shouldn't be allowed to have either.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Well, he has now.

[kanawa]

Making a decision to own a dog or having children are equally serious.Some people shouldn't be allowed to have either.

Amen, and with that I going to go enjoy what's left of my B-day.

[oldvike]

Blah blah blah...sweet lovable dogs who only turn agressive when raised by career criminals...blah blah blah.

Not! It appears to me they were bred to kill.

[oldvike]

Intersting article. Makes sense. However, I’d still much rather walk up to a chained black lab than a chained pitbull or chow. Some breeds are just meaner than others.

[LongElegantLegs]

I think it depends on the dog, and the kind of life he’s given. My 2 year old daughter bit our pit mix on the tail today, and he just rolled over and looked smug while she got a spanking.
But then, we don’t chain him, he’s excercised every day, etc. Lifestyle makes a huge difference.

[eastforker]

The smarter the dog, the more dangerous they are when chained.Chows, pitbulls and other “smart “ dogs are harder to train as they seem to think for their selves instead of what they are told. Also, some breeds are one owner dogs as they do not give loyalty to other people.All dogs are capable of being vicious and violent, some require more dicipline than others.That being said, some dogs,not breeds, just like some people, are mentaly deranged and just plain evil.

[brytlea]

Maybe she worked nights? Altho I had the first same thought as you. When I had young kids I figured it was my job to be up when they were up (altho I used to try to take a nap when they did, however I took it in their bedroom with them so I would wake up if they should wake).
As for the dog, It could have easily been a chow or a shepherd or rottie etc. Any large dog could have killed the child. And the dog should be euthanized, absolutely.

[brytlea]

Some dogs see children as prey. FWIW I was bitten by one of my goldens years ago. She was euthanized that day.

[Moonman62]

His mother, Melissa Miller, woke up between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m.

What were the adults doing all night?

[Salamander]

Eight breeds of dog account for 98% of all fatal dog attacks.

In order they are:

Pit Bull
Rottweiler
German Shepherd
Chow
Malamute
Husky
Wolf Hybrids
Akita

And just to throw a wrench into everything;

In 2001, a four-pound Pomeranian attacked and killed an infant in Los Angeles.

Interestingly enough, the most likely victim of a fatal dog attack is an UNATTENDED child under the age of 2.

[Maybe I had weird parents, but I was never “left unattended” as a little kid]

Fascinating page on “pit bulls” and the breeds that formerly were recognized as “most dangerous”.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Dog-Attacks-and-Aggression

[brytlea]

Good information. In addition, many children are bitten in the face because an adult dog disciplines a puppy by grabbing the muzzle. In a human the tissue is much more delicate and not protected by hair. A puppy will submit when an adult does this, a child will scream and try to get away, which can escalate the situation. Kids and big dogs without knowledgeable adult supervision is a recipe for trouble. Combine that with a dog with the bite power of a pit type and it's a recipe for disaster.

[brytlea]

Actually, I’m sure by law they must do an autopsy since the death occurred without anyone around. Suppose a parent killed their child and then put them outside with the dog to divert blame? It may seem obvious what happened (and I am not suggesting what we think happened isn’t what happened) but they have to make sure.

[brytlea]

I heard on the radio yesterday that large numbers of people are injured when they trip over their small dogs. Just thought I would throw that in!

[Don W]

The (several probably sexist, likely racist, and definitely anti governmental educational system epithets NOT posted because I *LIKE* my posting priviledges here) parent was negligent.

You must HAVE missed a few basic lessons in proper grammar and spelling, though.

Or are you another victim OF “outcome based” edjumikayshun?

[spunkets]

"The kid must of asked for it."

Probably annoyed the pup with his suck toy.

[Don W]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KANAWA!!

I certainly hope the dog who kept you with us is still with us.

Post his pic again, if only for posterity’s sake.

Thanks, Bro.

Don

[Leisler]

Privileges, not 'priviledges'.

[Leisler]

No dog, no death.

[Trailerpark Badass]

No dog, no death.

An unattended 18 m.o.?

I can think of dozens of ways the kid could have died. And who brought the dog there in the first place?