A 19-month-old toddler was mauled to death by a family dog this week, and police officials said on Wednesday that the father of the victim would be charged with manslaughter in relation to the crime.
Officials revealed that the horrific incident occurred at about 10:45 p.m., on Tuesday inside an East 17th Street apartment in Flatbush. The father reportedly left the residence and left the toddler, who was only identified as Ryan, alone with his two brothers, 11-year-old Jayden and 9-year-old Tale.
Toddler Mauled to Death by a Dog
Chief Michael Kemper said they believe that the father left the children unattended with the family dog while he was out working. Kemper is the commanding officer of patrol borough Brooklyn South.
The New York Police Department coordinated with the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office in filing criminal charges against the suspect. Kemper noted that the parents of the children were separated, and the kids were left with their father, the New York Post reported.
When police received the report about the attack, responding officers discovered a bloody young boy on the floor. They said they found bite marks on his neck and shoulder after investigating the body.
The victim and another person were quickly transported to the Maimonides Hospital where the toddler was pronounced dead, the New York Fire Department said. While it was unclear who the other person was, the victim's brothers were reportedly unharmed.
The mother of the children, Susan Hyre, said that the kids' father, Vernon Foster, did not have full custody of their children and was supposed to stay with them at an apartment on Green Avenue. However, the suspect allegedly took the children to the apartment where the incident occurred. The residence belonged to the father's parents who were away at a wedding in Antigua when the tragic event happened, NBC New York reported.
Brutal Attack
Foster's mother called her son's ex-wife to tell her that Ryan had been bitten by their dog, which was identified as a rottweiler, inside their apartment. During a discussion with police inside an interrogation room, Hyre learned that her son died from his injuries. Hyre met with the Administration for Children's Services after her two other children were returned to her on Wednesday.
Authorities said the dog was contained inside a room in the apartment before officers arrived at the residence. The animal was placed under the care of Animal Care and Control, which has not revealed its plans for the creature.
In a similar incident earlier this month, a police dog trained to sniff out drugs attacked a five-year-old boy at a South Pasadena event. The occasion aimed to foster relationships between police and the community.
The victim, identified as Sebastian Forbes, was stitched after receiving injuries from the unprovoked attack. The dog reportedly bit the boy on the left side of his face, near his eye, and on his ear. The victim also received bruises on his neck and shoulder, Josh Forbes, the boy's father, said during an interview, Pasadena Star News reported.
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