1-year-old boy mauled to death by 3 dogs at Duncanville home
DUNCANVILLE, Texas - Criminal charges may be filed after a 1-year-old Duncanville boy was killed when three dogs attacked him.
Police were called to a residence on Lime Leaf Lane on Monday shortly before 11 a.m. for a dog attack.
Police say the boy, Shiraz Amal Asirvadam, did not live at the home. He was being watched there by a babysitter. They wouldn’t say whether the home was operating as a daycare.
Police say the dogs’ owner tried to get the dogs off the boy but wasn’t able to fight them off.
Neighbors tell FOX 4 the woman who owns the home babysits for family friends during the day and has been doing so for years.
"She’s been taking care of kids down there forever," said neighbor David Trout.
Just before 11 a.m., officers arrived on scene, and the child was unconscious. Medics rushed the little boy to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, where he later died.
Police say there were other children in the home when the attack took place. They were not harmed.
"We took possession of the dogs. The dogs were confined in the house. They were not loose," said Duncanville Police Chief Matthew Stogner. "The resident attempted to pull the dogs from the infant unsuccessfully until the officers got there."
Police say the three dogs were all shepherd mixes, a male weighing 100 pounds and two females weighing approximately 80 pounds. The animals belonged to the homeowner.
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As of Monday evening, the dogs were in custody of Duncanville Animal Control. If the owner does not surrender the dogs, the Duncanville Police Department will file with the court to have them declared dangerous. It’s unclear if they will be euthanized.
"The dogs were outside. Somehow, they made their way back inside the house where the incident took place," Stogner said.
Hours after the attack, an animal control officer stopped by the home for additional questioning.
Police say there’s potential for criminal charges to be filed once the investigation is complete.
Duncanville police says they will not release anything regarding charges until they have consulted with the family.
Trout would often see children playing outside. He walked a few hours down to offer his condolences.
"Whoever family it is, it’s a terrible thing," he said. "I don’t wish this on anybody. Especially her. I know she is devastated by this and will be for quite some time."
"There is no question this is a tragedy," Stogner said. "It’s important for all animal owners to ensure their animals are confined, and if there are kids around, to ensure there is adult supervision around in case something like this were to happen."
Police believe the homeowner was the only adult in the home at the time of the attack.