A babysitter in Texas has been arrested and charged with felony harm to a baby after she reportedly left a toddler and an adolescent in her care alone, after which the youngsters had been attacked by the caregiver’s canines.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar mentioned a 1-year-old boy and 13-year-old woman had been being cared for by Heather Rodriguez, 36, within the Central Texas city of Converse. Salazar mentioned a preliminary investigation led them to consider Rodriguez left the youngsters alone together with her 4 XL American bullies.
Salazar mentioned that Rodriguez left the house for unknown causes and left the youngsters in a bed room, away from the canines since they had been “known to cause damage.”
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A babysitter’s XL American bullies allegedly attacked a toddler and teenager left in her care. (Brian Lawless/PA Pictures through Getty Pictures)
The canines finally broke into the bed room by destroying a connecting toilet door that they’d already beforehand broken, Salazar mentioned.
Salazar mentioned the canines started biting the toddler as soon as they received into the room.
“The 13-year-old was able to maintain control of the baby, but at this point, and what’s being described to me, it was almost a tug of war for the baby between at least one of the dogs and the little girl,” the sheriff mentioned.
The extra canines joined the fray, and the teenage woman spent “several minutes trying to fight them off,” Salazar mentioned.
“At a certain point, she had to break away and physically left the baby behind in the bathroom,” the sheriff mentioned. (She was) being attacked whereas she went to go get her mobile phone to name for assist.”
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A toddler and teenager were allegedly left alone by their babysitter an attacked by her dogs. These are the stairs inside the home of babysitter Heather Rodriguez. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)
The girl called 911, safely got the toddler into another room and barricaded themselves in there. She had to push against the door to prevent the dogs from compromising that entrance.
Deputies arrived and took control of the scene, which included rendering first aid to the 1-year-old child before taking him to the hospital.
“From what we perceive concerning the child proper now, he is undoubtedly in vital situation,” Salazar said Monday at a news conference, according to USA Today. “I’ve truly seen some footage of the child from our physique digicam video… it is heartbreaking to see anyone in that situation.”
Salazar said the baby sustained “fairly extreme head accidents” and that he couldn’t breathe normally after damage to his throat and airway.
The sheriff said the children’s parents were unaware that Rodriguez had “problematic” dogs and that he believed “they might not have let (Rodriguez) care for his or her child the way in which that they did had they recognized that these canines had been unsafe.”
He added that the teenage girl’s quick actions likely prevented a situation that could have turned out much worse than it is.
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A toddler and teenager were allegedly left alone by their babysitter an attacked by her dogs. This is damage inside the home of babysitter Heather Rodriguez. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)
“I’ve received to be sincere, the 13-year-old on this occasion, I am contemplating her a hero,” Salazar said. “I feel her actions led to the child not being mauled much more severely, and even killed because of this savage canine assault.”
Child Protective Services has been called to monitor the welfare of both children, particularly for the physical well-being of the toddler and the mental well-being of the teenager.
Rodriguez, in addition to her felony injury to a child charge, has also been cited for letting her dogs run freely without a leash. The sheriff said it’s clear that two of the dogs participated in the attack, but perhaps all of them were involved.
“Clearly, for me, any canine that took half in it must be put down,” Salazar said. “As heartbreaking as that sounds, the lifetime of a little bit child is far more necessary.”
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Salazar said Rodriguez was more concerned about her dogs being taken away than the fact two children in her care were attacked and injured by them. The dogs are now with Bexar County Animal Control, which will determine what happens to them.
“If we’re capable of finding out that one of many canines, or a number of of the canines weren’t accountable, then advantageous,” Salazar said. “Maybe these can return, however (Rodriguez) gave the impression to be extra involved with what was happening with these canines than with the truth that her inaction (and) her omissions nearly brought about the demise of a child.”
