Family Dog Drags Infant into Woods
In a horrifying story out of Kentucky, a new father desperately dialed 911, after his 4-day old infant was nowhere to be found. Michael and wife Chrissie had hysterically searched the house for the newborn to no avail, and had finally turned to the authorities.
Michael and Chrissie had just placed Alexander James Smith down for a nap Monday afternoon to prepare for a baby shower. Chrissie walked back in the room a few moments later to find one of the doors slightly open and both the dog and child missing.
As he placed the call to 911, Michael Smith caught sight of the baby being carried in the mouth of the family pet, named Dakota. The infant was bleeding from the mouth and was being sported across the yard after the pet dog had apparently fetched him from his crib.
Michael immediately went after the family pet, who had a history of stealing small items and hiding them in the backyard, such as wallets and cups. He searched for 10 minutes all along the edge of the two-acre fenced yard, paying special attention to the bushes and trees on the property before catching up to Dakota with Alexander within a couple hundred feet of the house.
Alexander was then expedited to the local emergency room at University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington, KY. The family was initially prepared for the absolute worst scenario as resuscitation paddles were used to bring the child back to life.
“They took us straight to a consulting room with a pastor and gave us pretty much what was the last visitation,” Michael said from a hospital room.
He then noted the timing of the rescue being key.
“When you’re running through the backyard and you can’t find him, every worst fear comes through your head,” said Smith. “We had to try to stay positive, try and find him. My guess is five more minutes and he wouldn’t be here.”
As of Tuesday, Alexander James Smith was reported to be in critical condition with a skull fracture, two collapsed lungs, various cuts and bruises and broken ribs. Hospital authorities reassured the family of their optimism of his full recovery.
Michael and Chrissie Smith own a security company and own two other dogs besides Dakota, who hails as a Native American Indian Dog and has never shown any form of agression before, even throughout rough play with Michael’s two other children over the years.
“It wasn’t a vicious dog attack,” Smith said. “She had A.J. for 10 minutes on her own, and if you look at A.J.’s belly, there’s about 100 little marks. All the dog had to do was one bite and A.J. wouldn’t be here.”
Even so, Dakota will probably be put to death, according to Michael, as animal control seized it shortly after the situation was reported.
Although the case remains open for investigation, no charges have been filed, according to Jessamine County chief deputy sheriff Allen Peel.
Datoka needs another chance to live out her life. She did wrong. But she doesn’t know that. She just knows that she isn’t home.
If I could afford her I would adopt her.
I completely agree with Courtney. The dog probably heard the infant crying or whimpering and thought it was helping! We have a large dog and although we trust him we would never have left our baby alone in his company or somewhere the dog could get at him. It is the dogs natural instinct to lift crying young that they think are in danger and move them somewhere else. This dog should be rehomed to a more understanding family.
Obviously the baby wasn’t in a crib if a large dog got ahold of it. Very iresponsible people to have such a large animak around a newborn! Regardless if the dog hasn’t done this in the past….IT”S STILL AN ANIMAL! These people are stupid.
Well for one thing, if you read the story, the dog had not done this with their other 2 children, so it would be unlikely they’d suspect that this would happen, so I don’t fault the parents. The door was closed but evidently not latched (however, my dog can open a doorknob on his own sometimes, so who knows…we’ve all done that before—thought we closed a door and didn’t.) They were pretty vigilent if the child was only out of their site for a few minutes. Everyone always wants to play the blame game, but this truly seems like one of those unfortunate incidences that could not have been predicted.
We’re expecting our first and I’ve had my sweet dog for 10 years, but we will never leave him alone with the baby, not even once, just in case something happens. It sounds like the dog thought the infant was a toy, and not seriously trying to harm it. (Punctured lungs likely due to the weight of the dog trying to carry the child and not the dog trying to maul the child.)
Just my thoughts. It’s a sad situation all around.
I totally blame the parents, if they knew that the dog was capable of this action, as stated previously that the dog was known for hiding other items in the backyard, they should have known better. The dog does not think like a human.
That dog should not be killed. People fail to remember that a dog does not has the brain that a human has. He probably didn’t even realize what he was doing was wrong. The parents should be the ones to blame here. You should NEVER allow a dog or any other animal around your newborn child.