2-year-old boy died after the 48-year-old unlicensed daycare owner went to take a nap and left the toddler unattended before her vicious dogs mauled him to death
Georgia – In a deeply disturbing incident in Georgia, a 48‑year‑old woman, identified as S. Cobb, now faces serious criminal charges after her vicious dogs fatally mauled a 2‑year‑old boy whom she left unattended while she took a nap. The child died from his injuries, and authorities say the incident was the direct result of gross negligence in an unlicensed daycare environment.
Cobb, the babysitter in question, was arrested by the police department and booked on charges of second‑degree murder and cruelty to children in the second degree, per county jail records. The charges stem from her alleged failure to supervise the boy properly, leaving him alone in a yard with dangerous dogs while she slept. Police Chief L. Manahan addressed the public: “This is a horrible and tragic event that should have never occurred, but because of negligence on this offender’s behalf, a mother has tragically lost a child.” His words underscore that authorities consider this not a mere accident but a tragic consequence of clear neglect and breach of duty.
The call to first responders came early on October 4, when police, firefighters, and EMS were dispatched to a home. The location was operating as an unlicensed daycare run by Cobb. When responders arrived, they found the 2-year-old boy dead in the backyard, having been mauled by the dogs owned by Cobb. The victim’s mother, A. Jones, had dropped him off at Cobb’s home that morning before leaving for work. In interviews and on a fundraiser page set up after the tragedy, the mother expressed that Cobb’s daycare had come “highly recommended.” She believed her child would be safe. But, investigators say, Cobb went upstairs to nap and left the toddler unattended for at least two hours. During that time, the boy somehow made his way into the backyard, managed to open the kennel of two large Rottweilers, and was attacked. The boy did not survive the mauling; he died at the scene.
When questioned by police, Cobb claimed she believed the boy was also sleeping. She denied foreseeing the risk and asserted she had no reason to expect her dogs would harm him. Meanwhile, Jones says that Cobb rarely had long periods without communication during working hours; when her messages went unanswered for about three hours, she became concerned and rushed to the home—only to find authorities already on the scene, recording and investigating. Jones later shared, “This was a heartbreaking, devastating, and traumatizing scene that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I found my baby like this.”
Immediately after taking Cobb into custody at her home, authorities also seized two Rottweilers implicated in the attack and a third dog present on the property, under the jurisdiction of animal control units. Cobb remains held in the county jail as the case proceeds. She is bound by the charges of murder and child cruelty, and prosecutors must build their case to show her actions (or inaction) directly caused the 2-year-old boy’s death. While dog attacks are rare, they are not unheard of. A watchdog site, DogsBite.org, tracked 63 dog bite fatalities in 2023 and noted that children comprised 24 percent of those victims—a grim statistic that reflects the heightened vulnerability of the very young.
As this sorrowful case moves through the justice system, the core question becomes not just what Cobb did, but what she failed to do: did she knowingly risk a child’s life by leaving him alone in an environment with dangerous animals? For the victim’s family, no legal decision can bring him back, but the court now must determine whether his death was the result of tragic circumstance or criminal neglect.
