A 1-year-old boy, Jiryiah Johnson, was fatally mauled by a pack of pit bulls in Texas after his babysitter left him alone with his teenage daughter, according to police reports. The incident occurred early Monday morning in Converse, Texas, when babysitter Heather Rodriguez, 36, left Jiryiah in the care of her 13-year-old daughter, along with three pit bulls at her home, the county sheriff told reporters. from Bexar, Javier Salazar.
The tragic attack began when one of the pit bulls broke through a bedroom door and began mauling the baby. Despite the teenager’s efforts to protect Jiryiah, the other two dogs quickly joined the attack, according to reports. News4SA. “The 13-year-old boy was able to hold the baby, but it was described to me as almost a tug of war between one of the dogs and the girl over the baby,” Sheriff Salazar said.
The teen tried to protect the boy by taking him to the bathroom, but the dogs followed them inside. After making a frantic phone call to the police, she barricaded herself and the baby in another room, using her body to keep the door closed until help arrived. Photos from the scene showed that the dogs had torn off large chunks of the door during the attack.
The brave teenager suffered several bites during the attack as she fought to protect Jiryiah. “I have to be honest, the 13-year-old girl in this case is absolutely… I consider her a hero.” Salazar commented.
Jiryiah suffered serious injuries to his neck and face and was rushed to a local hospital, where he underwent emergency surgeries. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries that same night, shortly before 9:30 p.m., Sheriff Salazar confirmed.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with injury to a child with serious bodily injury by omission, a first-degree felony. She remains in custody at the Bexar County Jail and could face additional charges related to her daughter’s injuries, authorities said.
Authorities confiscated the three pit bulls despite Rodriguez’s protests. Sheriff Salazar expressed concern about her priorities, noting, “That she is more concerned about the dogs involved in the attack than the child who was killed is a cause for serious concern. “It will definitely be taken into account in the future.”
This was not the first time police went to Rodriguez’s residence in relation to his dogs. She had previously been cited for failing to restrain them after an incident in which the dogs trapped someone in her car. Despite this, he was allowed to stay with the dogs until this tragic event.
