A Michigan family is trying to figure out what happened after an alleged dog attack took place in their home. The dog, who had been around young children without any previous incidents, reportedly attacked a newborn who had just come home from the hospital, according to a family member. No one can seem to make sense of what happened, as the apparent mauling sounds like it was out of character. The family is trying to wrap their heads around what may have caused the dog to suddenly turn on the baby. Currently, the pet is still alive, but everything will depend on what police find in their investigation.
Police were called and confirmed the dog attack.
Novi police and firefighters were called around 8:28 a.m., responding to reports of an unresponsive baby, CBS Detroit reported. A family member found the newborn injured with wounds that appeared to be from a dog attack.
“A family member reported finding the infant injured with puncture wounds,” Novi Police Commander Bob Manar told The Detroit News. “Those wounds appear to be consistent with an animal attack.” According to Manar, the “incident is under investigation.”
Both outlets reported that the newborn was taken to an area hospital, where she was declared dead.
There’s a lot we don’t know yet about what took place.
Novi police haven’t released many details about the girl or the family, Fox 2 reported. They did say that the girl had only just been brought home from the hospital when the dog attack happened. Police did not say who was in the mobile home at the time of the attack.
The dog, a mixed breed reportedly of average size, was removed from the home following the incident. It has not yet been euthanized, but its survival is dependent on the outcome of the police investigation.
A family member is speaking out after the incident.
Ellyn, the grandmother of the baby girl, was not home at the time, she told Fox 2, but she spoke with her son, who apparently told her what happened.
“He came out briefly and told me the bassinet was there and the baby was asleep in it and the dog who they raised around other kids, for some reason, knocked the bassinet over and killed the baby before they could get to them,” the woman explained.
She added that her son “thinks the dog did it just to attack the baby. But the dog’s been raised with – he’s got other toddlers in there. So we don’t know what actually happened other than the dog snapped out right in front of everyone.”
People are not giving the family any grace.
The story was shared by Fox 2 on YouTube, and the comments on the post are full of people blaming the family.
“How disgusting. The grandmother sounds like she’s more concerned about the dog, calling it just an ‘accident.’ RIP baby,” one person wrote.
“They found the baby deceased? They didn’t hear the dog? In a mobile home , nobody heard the scuffle? I hope the police do their jobs,” someone else wrote.
“Imagine just giving birth to a newborn baby only to lose her 5 days later from a dog attack. Heartbreaking and sad. Rest in peace, little one,” another comment reads.
