1-year-old boy died after his babysitter left him in the care of her 13-year-old daughter only for her dogs to set upon the toddler in a vicious attack as soon as she left the premises; babysitter arrested
Texas – In a horrific incident in Texas, a 36-year-old woman, identified as H. Rodriguez, has been arrested and charged with first-degree felony of injury to a child with intent causing serious bodily injury, injury to a child with reckless bodily injury, and endangering a child with imminent danger causing bodily injury after a 1-year-old boy who was under her care was fatally attacked by her dogs.
On Monday, Rodriguez was entrusted with the care of the 1-year-old boy at her home. Instead of supervising the toddler herself, she left him under the watch of her 13-year-old daughter while she went to work. Shortly after Rodriguez left, her pit bull dogs attacked the boy in a brutal assault that lasted several minutes and spanned different rooms in the house.
During the horrifying attack, the dogs reportedly engaged in a “tug of war” with the child, while Rodriguez’s teenage daughter desperately tried to save him. The boy suffered severe injuries to his face, head, and neck, including deep bite wounds and significant trauma to his throat, leaving him unable to breathe on his own. Emergency services rushed the boy to the hospital in critical condition. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries later that night.
Following the incident, Rodriguez was arrested. Sheriff J. Salazar disclosed that the door to the room where the attack happened had been previously damaged by Rodriguez’s dogs and broke down again during the incident. He criticized the babysitter’s decision to leave the children unattended in a home with known aggressive dogs, questioning what she expected to happen under such circumstances. Sheriff Salazar revealed that the 1-year-old boy had been left in Rodriguez’s care before, and while his parents were aware she had dogs, they were not informed of any aggressive behavior. Castro stated that Rodriguez had promised she “would secure the animals.”
Authorities disclosed that they had previously responded to calls about Rodriguez’s dogs. Earlier this year, she received a citation for having unleashed dogs when they prevented a man from exiting his car. The pit bulls involved in the attack have been surrendered to Animal Care Services. Child Protective Services is also conducting an investigation into the incident. Sheriff Salazar commended the teenage daughter’s bravery in trying to save the 1-year-old boy, referring to her as a “hero” despite the tragic outcome.
The community and especially the victim’s family are in shock. E. Castro, the 1-year-old boy’s mother, expressed profound regret and sorrow, wishing that Rodriguez had not gone to work as she had initially promised. Castro described her profound emotional distress and ongoing panic attacks since the tragedy.
In the wake of the boy’s death, his parents set up a fundraising campaign to cover medical and eventual funeral expenses, highlighting the community’s effort to support the grieving family. The boy, remembered as a “goofy, loving baby” fascinated with dinosaurs and the children’s show Bluey, leaves behind a heartbroken family.
As the legal process unfolds, Rodriguez is being held in jail with a bond set at $100,000, facing a potential trial that will delve deeper into the circumstances that led to this preventable tragedy. Meanwhile, the community and law enforcement are calling for increased awareness and stricter control measures for pet owners to prevent such incidents in the future.
