A 21-month-old girl in Georgia was mauled to death by seven dogs on April 3, when the toddler somehow got outside the family home and was surrounded by a pack of pit bulls and pit bull mixes owned by her family. According to Monica Laminack’s family, they have never had any issues with the animals, …
A 21-month-old girl in Georgia was mauled to death by seven dogs on April 3, when the toddler somehow got outside the family home and was surrounded by a pack of pit bulls and pit bull mixes owned by her family. According to Monica Laminack’s family, they have never had any issues with the animals, and except for one instance of a pit bull killing a cat, the dogs had been gentle animals up until the gruesome attack. The pit bulls had reportedly played with the toddler many times and the family did not view them as a danger. Unfortunately, they found out just how dangerous the dogs were with the tragic death of their daughter. If you have been injured in a dog attack in Oklahoma, or if you lost a loved one in a dog bite accident, consult our reputable attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today.
Children at Higher Risk for Dog Attacks
There were five adults in the house at the time of the dog attack, although the family is not sure how Monica escaped from the house and into the yard. The girl’s grandmother was asleep and the toddler’s 12-year-old brother was supposed to be watching her. One possibility is that the girl crawled through the doggy door, which she had done in the past, but it wasn’t until the grandmother awoke from her nap and looked outside that she saw the dogs attacking the toddler. When the EMS arrived at the scene, Monica was pronounced dead from substantial injuries sustained in the dog attack.
“All the dogs had access to the house, nine dogs in all,” said Bryan County Sheriff Clyde Smith in reference to the vicious mauling. “She habitually played with dogs, all of them. But they drug her all over the yard. Something turned them on her. We don’t know what.” The unfortunate truth is that any dog can inflict life-threatening injuries on another person, particularly breeds that are considered dangerous by law, including pit bulls and pit bulls mixes. In fact, pit bulls ranked first in the list of top ten dog breeds responsible for causing the highest number of deaths in the U.S. from 1979 to 1998. Unfortunately, the most common victims of dog bite accident are children, and the risk is highest for those between the ages of five and nine.
Our Qualified Attorneys Can Help
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 60% of all dog bite incidents occur in the dog owner’s home, and about 77% of dog bite victims are family members or close friends of the dog owner. In addition, the CDC reports, as the number of dogs in a home increases, so does the risk of dog attacks. For example, adults with two or more dogs in their home are five times more likely to be bitten than those without dogs in their home. If you have suffered injuries in a dog attack in Oklahoma, contact our experienced lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the dog owner, in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries and medical expenses.