October 13th, 2011

Pit bull fatality in West Haven Connecticut, October 2011

For many years most dog bite related human fatalities have been inflicted onto children and the elderly by pit bull type dogs. This trend seems to be continuing in 2011, as witnessed by the fatality on a 20-month-old toddler who was sleeping in the upstairs bedroom of her grandmother’s home in West Haven Connecticut. Apparently, according to news reports, her mother was present in the bedroom when the attack happened. The victim was visiting her grandmother, and apparently had been put down for a nap, and dogs managed to find their way into the upstairs bedroom and attack the toddler. News reports are sketchy so it is unclear if the mother attempted to stop the attack, or if she was attacked herself by the dogs. The chief medical examiner ruled an accidental death, although one wonders if meaningful investigation was done regarding the negligence of the grandmother, or if these dogs were dangerous by nature therefore making this tragic incident foreseeable. Posted by RHP