Neighbors say the pit bull that
killed a Bath boy was aggressive

Jul 30, 2007
www.wetmtv.com

Bath—Neighbors tell us the pit bull that attacked 6-year old Sabin Jones Abbott seemed to be aggressive. 
 
“He was very scary.  The dog would run to the end of its chain and try to get off its chain to get to you," said neighbor, Kim Bennage.
 
But investigators say they are not aware of any previous reports of the dog being aggressive.    
 
Neighbors tell WETM 18 News that the boy’s father, William Abbott had just gotten the dog recently from a neighbor.
 
Investigators say the boy was killed after he was attacked by a pit bull-boxer mix Sunday morning.
 
Authorities say the boy was last seen feeding the 6-month old dog outside his home at 6943 East William Street Extension in Bath.
 
15 minutes later, his father found him unconscious near the dog.
 
"I just loved him to pieces because he was so adorable," said Bennage.
 
"It's just awful, he's only 6 or 7.  He's just a little guy,” said neighbor Chris Rumsey
 
Investigators say the dog was put down Sunday night at the request of the father.  Right now, they have not been able to find anyone who saw the attack.  No one's been charged. 
 
People outside the home where the attack happened did not want WETM 18 News to stop for comment.  But neighbors tell us Sabin's father was always with him.
 
"He's a great father.  I just don't understand why nobody was around the child,” said Rumsey.
 
"His father was very adamant.  He took care of him so well,” said Bennage.

Pit bull euthanized as investigation continues: Dog that killed boy sent to Monroe County Medical Examiner; report due later today

By JEN CARPENTER - Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, July 31, 2007
www.eveningtribune.com

BATH - More details about the death of a six-year-old boy due to a pit bull attack should be known later today.

Steuben County Sheriff's deputies, the District Attorney's office and the SPCA animal cruelty investigator are continuing the investigation into the attack Sunday that resulted in the death of Sabin Abbott-Jones.

The dog has been euthanized, according to deputies, and is being examined by the Monroe County Medical Examiner's office. The medical examiner's report is scheduled to be made available by this afternoon. According to the Corning Leader, it may be several days before officials release final information on the boy's death.

Initial reports stated Jones-Abbott had been feeding a six-month-old pit bull, and was found unresponsive by his father in the area of the dog. Jones-Abbott was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Ira Davenport Hospital. Sources indicate the parents of the boy are Sunny Jones and William Abbott, although Jones is believed to have been out of state at the time of the incident.

Steuben County Sheriff Richard Tweddell said Monday no other pit bulls or dogs were found at the scene, and people involved with the dog were being interviewed. He said it is unclear whether or not the parents of the child will be charged.

Hornell Police Sgt. Mark Mahoney has experience working with dogs, and has trained over 2,500 dogs. He said without actually being at the scene, his first instinct is that the dog, which was chained up, most likely thought the boy was going to take its food, and went after him.
“It becomes like a pack threat,” he said.

Mahoney said the dog may have instinctively lashed out at the boy. He said pit bulls are usually trained to fight when they are six-months to one-year-old.

“For a pit bull, that's close to a mature dog,” he said.

Mahoney said in his experience, people often have problems with dogs because of their protective behavior, which often results in people getting bit. He said this is one of the major problems with household pets.

“That's one of the social skills a dog needs to learn early on,” he said, adding an owner should be able to put their hand in a dog's food while it is eating without suffering any consequences.

Mahoney said if more than one dog is kept at a time, it can lead to dog fights over favorite foods or toys.

Wendy Dresser-Recktenwald, Hornell Area Humane Society's chief executive officer, said this is not typical behavior for a dog that age.

“We all feel terrible that a child lost their life,” she said.

Father arrested in fatal dog attack

August 8, 2007
Star-Gazette

The father of a 6-year-old Bath boy killed by a pit bull dog July 29 has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

William D. Abbott, 33, of East William Street Extension in Bath, was arrested today by the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department. He faces possible fines and up to a year in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor charge.

Abbott’s son, Saben W. Jones-Abbott, was found unresponsive about 15 minutes after he had gone to feed the family dog. His injuries indicated the dog had attacked him.

The sheriff’s department said in a press release that William Abbott had been previously warned about supervising the child around the dog. Details of the previous incident were not made public.

Abbott was arraigned in Bath Village Court by Justice Chauncey Watches. He was released without bail and is scheduled to reappear in court with a lawyer Aug. 20.

“The charge stems from Abbott’s alleged failure to properly supervise his son as the child dealt with the dog and for his failure to check on the child,” the press release said. “These circumstances arose after having been previously advised that such supervision was necessary, particularly around aggressive animals.”

The child was pronounced dead shortly after the incident at Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital in Bath. The 6-month-old pit bull was destroyed at the request of the family.

The sheriff’s office was assisted in the investigation by Steuben County Coroner Steve Copp and Steuben County SPCA Animal Cruelty Investigator Scott Mazzo.

A funeral for the child, who was a student at Vernon E. Wightman Primary School in Bath, was held Saturday at the Avoca Funeral Home.

The victim was also the son of Sommer Jones of Florida.