A one-year-old Texas boy was mauled to death by his babysitter’s pit bulls after the woman left him alone with her teenage daughter.
Jiryiah Johnson was supposed to be in the care of Heather Rodriguez, 36, at her home in Converse, Texas, but she left the baby alone with her 13-year-old daughter, KABB reported.
One of the family’s pit bulls forced its way into a bedroom and attacked the baby, Bexar Country Sheriff Javier Salazar told the outlet.
“The 13-year-old was able to maintain control of the baby, but at this point, it was being described to me as almost a tug-of-war for the baby between at least one of the dogs and the little girl,” he detailed.
Other dogs joined in the horrifying attack on the baby, and also bit the girl, according to investigators.
The teen managed to escape to call 911, then returned to try to save the baby from the dogs.
The boy was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
The baby’s mother, Erika Castro, said she had not had time to process what had happened to her only child, telling KENS of the babysitter, “I wish she’d had stayed like she said she would’ve, instead of going into work like she got called into work.”
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She said she knew Rodriguez had dogs but was assured they would be secured and kept away from her baby.
Rodriguez previously received a citation in May for having unleashed dogs, after the animals wouldn’t let a man get out of his car.
The dogs were turned over to Animal Care Services and Child Protective Services is also investigating.
Rodriguez was arrested and being held in Bexar County Jail with bonds totalling $100,000.
She was originally charged with injury to a child with intent of causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
A GoFundMe has been launched to help Castro and her partner, Julian Johnson, pay for the baby’s funeral and medical expenses.
“(The infant) underwent numerous procedures to stabilize his condition after being mauled, but the injuries were too severe,” the donation page read.
“He succumbed to his injuries that night,” it continued, adding that “Erika and Julian could use a community of support right now.”