Pit bull fatally injures Va. toddler

www.jacksonsun.com

September 28, 2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Va —A 23-month-old girl died after being attacked by her family’s pet pit bull Sunday.

Emergency workers say the child was bitten at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday. An ambulance crew took the child to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville where she was pronounced dead.

Orange County Sheriff C.G. Feldman says the dog was a pit bull and that it was chained. He says the girl wandered out of her house unnoticed and was attacked by her own family’s dog. She was discovered with what the sheriff describes as wounds all over her body. The dog has been captured and killed.

Sherriff's Investigators Believe Family
Pet To Blame
UPDATE: Toddler Killed by Dog
Investigators release the name of victim

www.wtvr.com

CBS6 Richmond, VA
Wayne Covil | Senior Reporter
September 28, 2009

Orange County - September 29, 2009 5:14 PM

We now know the name of the little girl killed by a dog in Orange County. Investigators say 23-month-old Jasmine Deane died after being bitten several times by a pit bull Sunday.

No charges have been filed in the case, but the investigation is ongoing.

September 28, 2009 7:25 PM

The Orange County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate the death of a 23 month old girl while her family is trying to come terms with what has happened.

Investigators say the family dog attacked the young girl when she ventured into the backyard around 6:30 Sunday night.

She died a few hours later at a local hospital.

It happened just off Mountain Track Road on a short gravel drive known as Beech Tree.

Mike Hicks, the victim's cousin, was visibly upset and fighting back tears when he said, "It's just heart breaking, shocking you know."

The toddler, a 23 month old girl, was found in the back yard after being attacked by the family pit bull.

Sheriff's Investigators say the first call something was wrong came just after 6:30 Sunday evening, a 911 call for an un-responsive child.

The first Deputy on scene says the child had multiple injuries over her body and the sergeant started CPR, but they couldn't save the little girl. She died just after 9pm.

The investigation reveals the mother was pre-occupied for a short period and the family dog is to blame.

"Friendly dog, I mean, I don't understand it. Just don't understand it. Words can't describe how it happened," Hicks says.

The Orange County Sheriff's department says their investigation continues, family members are asking for support.

"Just ask everybody to just pray for our family," says Hicks as he makes his way down Beech Tree Drive.

A release from the Orange County Sheriff's Department says their office has never received a complaint about the pit bull but the family turned the dog over to animal control Sunday evening and the dog was euthanized.

Update: Orange Co. Child Attacked
and Killed by Family's Pit Bull

A family in Orange County is grieving after their pit bull attacked and killed their toddler, 23-month-old Jasmine Deane. Her parents are John Deane and Kristie Fincham of Culpeper.

www.newsplex.com

Posted: 10:31 AM Sep 28, 2009
Reporter: Stephanie Satchell, Bianca Spinosa

September 29, 2009

The Orange County Sheriff confirms that the victim of the pit bull attack was 23-month-old Jasmine Deane. Her parents are John Deane and Kristie Fincham of Culpeper.

Jasmine's cousin, Mike Hicks, says he's heartbroken over the loss. Hicks says the dog had always been friendly.

Statistically, pit bulls are a dangerous breed. A study from a public education about dog attacks called DogsBite.org says that out of the 23 people who died from dog attacks last year, 15 of them were killed by pit bulls.

Animal rights groups, however, say pit bulls become aggressive when they are chained up or kept isolated.

In these difficult times, the family is asking for the public's prayers and support.

September 28, 2009

A family in Orange County is grieving after their pit bull attacked and killed their toddler, a 23-month-old girl. It happened in the Mountain Track area of Orange County in a house right off Beech Tree Drive.

The young girl had wandered into the backyard 6:40 pm Sunday night, trying to pet the family dog, when the Sheriff says the pit bull violently attacked her. By the time medics arrived, the child was unresponsive.

The Orange County Sheriff says the toddler wandered out of the house, while her mother was busy inside. Minutes later, another family member found the girl in the backyard bleeding next to the family pit bull.

"The dog was chained up. It was a pit bull. It was chained up in the backyard, and the dog had attacked the child," said Sheriff Mark Amos.

Sheriff Amos says the family had the dog for ten years, and it had never caused any trouble, but had been keeping it chained to a fence. On the family property, CBS19 noticed several small dog cages.

Sheriff Amos says the child likely wandered into a dangerous situation by approaching the dog.

"Dogs can become very territorial when they're chained or when they're caged up, and yes, it'd be good advice to teach your child not to[approach the dog] unless they're old enough to handle animals.

The family's pit bull was euthanized Sunday night at the Orange County animal shelter. The girl's parents decided to put the pit bull to sleep.

When we went to the family's home, they insisted we leave, kicking over our camera as we stood on the main road. The family made it very clear they did not want to comment on the investigation.

The Sheriff says it's unlikely they'll be pressing any charges against the family.

A 23-month-old girl died after being attacked by her family's pet pit bull in Orange County Sunday evening.

Emergency workers say the child was bitten at about 6:30pm Sunday evening at an address on Beech Tree Drive. An ambulance crew took the child to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville where she was pronounced dead.

Orange County Sheriff Mark Amos says the dog was a pit bull and that it was chained. He says the girl wandered out of her house unnoticed and was attacked by her own family's dog. She was discovered with what the sheriff describes as wounds all over her body. The dog has been captured and killed.

Beech Tree Drive is off Mountain Track Road in eastern Orange County near the Louisa County Line.

 

Pit bull kills Orange County toddler
Pit bull euthanized after 2-year-old
Orange girl dies from attack

www.fredericksburg.com

Date published: 9/28/2009
By Robin Knepper

A 23-month-old Orange County girl was attacked and killed by her family’s pet pit bull Sunday evening.

The Sheriff’s Office is not releasing the child’s name at the family’s request. The family told the Sheriff’s Office it would issue a statement later today.

The dog, which was chained, had been a family pet for 10 years, the Sheriff's Office said in a press release. Sheriff Mark Amos said his office had not received any previous complaints about the dog.

According to Amos, the family lives in the Mountain Track Road area in the southern part of the county.

The child, who would have been two years old next month, was found a short distance from the family home, Amos said. The mother told deputies she had been preoccupied for a short period of time, then noticed the child was not in the house and went to look for her.

A family member found the child where the dog had attacked her.The Sheriff's Office received a call around 6:40 p.m. When deputies arrived, they found the girl unresponsive, with multiple injuries over her body, according to the news release.

The girl was transported to the University of Virginia Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:11 p.m.

The family surrendered the dog to Animal Control and it was euthanized.

According to Amos, the investigation is ongoing and no decision about charges has been made.