Toddler Attacked by Pit Bull Outside Maryland Day Care Center
Serious Scalp InjuryUPDATE 08/18/08: The victim has been identified as Demetrious Allen. His body now bears the scars of a pit bull attack. Allen underwent surgery after a pit bull at his private daycare clamped down on his head and ripped off part of his scalp. His mother, Ericka Lewis, told reporters, "They took his bandages off, and it was too much for me..."
Dr. Patrick Byrne with Johns Hopkins Hospital -- where Allen is being treated -- speaks frankly about his injuries. "I can't think of a single injury of this nature that was incurred by any other species other than a pit bull or a rottweiler." Due to horrific nature of these bites, surgeons have had to develop new techniques to try to mend them. These procedures are highly expensive and still leave the victim with scars.
Aberdeen is located in Harford County. Just two counties away, is Prince George's County where pit bulls are banned.
08/18/08: Finger Pointing GamesThe child is out of surgery, but hospital officials said they can't comment on the condition of an unidentified patient. According to neighbor Ida Hendrix, her husband James witnessed the attack. His yells prompted the dog to drop the child. Ida then grabbed the child and applied pressure to his head to stem the boy's bleeding scalp.
The dog, an 18-month-old pure-bred male, belonged to the son of the day care owner. The owner said the animal had interacted with children in the past without incident. The provider, whose day care business is licensed through the county Health Department, said she was unaware the toddler had slipped out the back door and into the yard. One other child was in her care at the time.
The caregiver is registered with the post's Children and Youth Services program, which can refer parents to providers. The name of the provider was not given. The presence of a pit bull would not preclude the Health Department from licensing the day care. "We can't discriminate against any breed of dog," said Pamela Arney, Harford's animal control officer.
May the liability lawsuits roll; maybe one will snag Arney's agency.
08/17/08: Day Care Center Housed DogAberdeen, MD - This morning, an 18-month-old boy suffered a serious head injury when he was attacked by a pit bull outside a day care. The police said the day care provider was unaware the boy had gone out a rear door and into the back yard of the residence, where the encounter with the pit bull happened. The boy is being treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The pit bull ripped off the boy's scalp.
Anita Brunke, the day care provider, is the owner of the dog. The pit bull was fenced in the backyard of the day care center (a residential home) and hanging on the chain link fence was a Beware of Dog sign. It's unclear how a day care center could legally operate under these conditions. It's also unclear how any parent could drop their toddler off at a house with such visible signage.
Police are not pressing criminal charges. How could there
not be criminal negligence in this attack? Animal control is debating if the dog is dangerous and if they should put the dog down. How could animal control knowingly give this dog back to a day care center operator? It sounds as if both entities live on the planet Mars.
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