Dogs ‘could have killed’ 9-year-old in Florida attack, father says. Owner now arrested
A group of dogs attacked a 9-year-old boy, then their owner evaded deputies for months, a Florida sheriff’s office says.
A 39-year-old Orlando woman was arrested on Oct. 17 on a charge of attack by a dangerous dog, according to court records, months after deputies say her three dogs bit the child.
The 9-year-old was walking with his dad and his brother back to their truck after visiting a car dealership on April 8 when the boy started “walking a little behind,” according to court documents.
As they passed a house, the door opened and four dogs ran outside, the boy’s father and brother told deputies.
Three of the dogs, which deputies described as pit bulls, attacked the 9-year-old, biting him on his leg, side and on his buttocks, according to court records.
Three women then ran out from the house and one of them picked the boy up while the other two tried to stop the dogs, the boy’s father told deputies.
They were able to get away, and he and his sons jumped into the truck and drove to a hospital, court records show, while the women brought the dogs back into the house.
“Emergency room staff indicated that the bites were bad,” deputies said in the report.
When asked whether he would like to complete a statement, the boy’s father told deputies he “wanted the dog owner to be held responsible for what happened because the dogs could have killed his son.”
This wasn’t the first time the same dogs had attacked someone, records said.
In November 2022, the Orange County Animal Services classified the dogs as dangerous following another bite incident resulting in severe injury, according to court documents.
Deputies showed photos of the dogs from the prior incident to the boy and his father, and they said it was the same dogs that attacked the 9-year-old.
In the week that followed, deputies continually tried to make contact with the dog’s owner, the 39-year-old woman, but failed to reach her.
They placed quarantine notices on the door of the home, but later returned to find them unsigned, according to court documents.
Under Florida law, a dog that had previously been declared dangerous must be confiscated by animal control and, if necessary, quarantined if it bites a person again, WOFL reported.
The owner of the dogs can also be charged with a third-degree felony, according to the outlet.
A warrant for the woman’s arrest was issued in August, but she once again evaded deputies who tried to reach her, according to court documents.
On Oct. 17, a deputy arrived at the home and was able to take the woman into custody, according to court documents.
The woman was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled for an arraignment on Nov. 30.
The status of her dogs is unknown at this time.
This story was originally published October 19, 2023 at 6:36 PM with the headline "Dogs ‘could have killed’ 9-year-old in Florida attack, father says. Owner now arrested."
