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Pet Dog Tragically Kills Four-Year-Old In Brooklyn
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 28, 2011
Modified May 28, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published May 28, 2011
Modified May 28, 2011
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A four-year-old Brooklyn boy was mauled to death by his family's pet dog last night. Jayelin Graham's mother screamed in horror as the powerful Cane Corso tore into his throat. "That little boy looked like a rag doll. The dog ripped the baby's throat out," one woman who saw him taken from his apartment told the Post.
Police say the dog bit Graham multiple times on his head, neck and stomach at the Pacific St. home in Brownsville about 9:15 p.m. Neighbors were shocked by the attack, and say that though the Italian-bred dog had a cage, it was often left alone with the children: “The dog was over by the cage, he was outside. There was another dog in the cage. The baby was lying on the floor with his head, like this, like this and the whole neck,” Shirley Barnes, who witnessed the attack, told CBS. The boy's brothers, ages two and five, were unharmed.
A witness told the News that Graham's mother was yelling, "Help! He ate my baby! He ate my baby!" Police say conditions inside the home were not good—they found animal feces and urine inside. Police sedated and removed the dog, as well a German shepherd and pit bull, which weren't necessarily involved in the attack. There are other animals in the home, including another pit bull, a parrot and a snake. The family also had a rabbit which was eaten by one of the dogs recently.
Chaos broke out after police arrived at the scene. Neighbors confronted officers from the 73rd precinct, and in the end, six people were arrested and are expected to be hit with obstruction charges. Police are still deciding whether to file criminal charges against the mother. Angelica Barriere, president of the PTA at Public School 178 across the street, said she ran over when she heard the screams: "I think the mother should be locked up, should be arrested. She had issues. The little boy was not well-dressed and was not clean, but he was a good kid."
Others neighbors said a tragic incident like this was inevitable because of the dogs. Their super, Kenny Rishar, said that neighbors and locals were afraid of them: "People were scared of those dogs. The dogs belong to the husband, who is seldom here. This was a tragedy waiting to happen...It was a violent dog. Dangerous. A big dog. The whole block is scared of that dog."
Tagged
brooklyn
brownsville
cane corso
dog
jayelin graham
pit bull
tragedy
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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