A 6-month-old infant was severely injured and disfigured in a dog bite incident on April 3, 2010, after he was left unattended in an apartment with two pit bulls. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the brutal dog attack occurred when the 22-year-old mother of the baby — Carrie McKinney, left the baby in an infant carrier on the floor, in a room at her friend’s apartment. A pit bull and pit bull mix attacked the baby severing his testicles. The dog’s owner is identified as Doug Ritchey. Officials say the dogs tore off the baby’s diaper and bit his scrotum. The baby was transported to a local hospital, but his condition is not clear. The incident is being investigated by police and child protective services.
My heart goes out to this little baby for what he has gone through. It is not clear if he has sustained life-threatening injuries. But it is clear that these injuries will affect him for a prolonged period of time, if not, for the rest of his life. This child will certainly be in my prayers.
Dog Bite Statistics
According to data released by Seattle-based dog bite victims’ advocacy group, Dogsbite.org, during the five-year period between January 1, 2005 and March 8, 2010, 158 dog attacks took place in the United States. Pit bulls were responsible for 56 percent of these attacks. This amounts to a pit bull killing an American every 21.5 days. Rottweilers accounted for 15 percent of dog bite fatalities. Together, pit bulls and Rottweilers accounted for 70 percent of all dog attacks. The numbers also show that there were 32 dog bite-related deaths in 2009 – 14 caused by pit bulls and four by Rottweilers.
A Serious Case of Negligence?
In this particular case, the mother of the infant left her baby alone in a room with two pit bulls resulting in catastrophic injuries. I don’t believe it would be an exaggeration to say that this is like leaving your baby in a lion’s cage. Pit bull advocates believe that this breed of dogs has done nothing to deserve the “bad reputation” it has. However, numbers tell a different story. More than half of the dog bite fatalities in the United States involve pit bulls or pit bull mixes. This incident is yet another tragic reminder that parents should NEVER leave their children alone in the presence of any dog or animal, let alone pit bulls or Rottweilers.
In this case, this was a defenseless baby that had been placed in an infant carrier. This baby could have done nothing to provoke an attack of this nature. Heartbreaking!
Innocent dog bite victims, who are injured by the actions of a negligent dog owner, do have legal rights. An experienced California personal injury lawyer will be able to advise them about their legal rights and options and help them file a claim seeking compensation to cover medical expenses and other damages.
Should pit bull owners be subject to stricter laws and conditions?
The Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.