4-day-old baby mauled to death in attack by family dog

A 4-day-old baby was mauled to death from an attack by the family's dog, according to police in Arkansas.

The fatal dog attack happened around 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, according to law enforcement. Police and emergency response personnel responded to the dog attack at a home in Cave Springs, Arkansas.

Officers with the Cave Spring Police Department discovered a 4-day-old baby with "severe injuries" resulting from a dog attack. The newborn baby was rushed to nearby Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital in Springdale. The baby was later flown to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. However, the baby succumbed to the injuries and died at the hospital.

The family's dog bit the baby's head. The dog's teeth reportedly penetrated the infant's skull.

Cave Springs police Lt. Keith Lawson said, "The dog was seized by the police department and euthanized by a local veterinary service in accordance with state law."

The News & Observer reported, "Authorities identified the family dog as a 3-year-old Siberian husky."

Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith told KTSM, "On Wednesday, Dec. 14, my office was notified by the Cave Springs Police Department that they were investigating the death of a 4-day-old baby girl. Based on the statements of witnesses and the opinions of medical professionals, it was determined that the fatal injuries were inflicted on the child by the family dog."

The findings of the investigation by the Cave Springs Police Department would be presented to Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office "so they can make an informed decision if any violations of Arkansas Law were committed," according to Smith.

Smith said, "While the investigation is ongoing, at this point, I do not expect that it will result in criminal charges."

More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the U.S., and over 800,000 require medical attention, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From 2010 until June 2021, there were 430 fatal dog bites in the United States. Small children up to age four were the most likely victims of lethal dog attacks – making up 32% of all fatalities from dog bites.

On Tuesday, two pit bulls mauled children and teachers at the playground of the Willard Intermediate South school in Springfield, Missouri. The dog attack left 21 people injured.

In October, two small children were mauled to death by the family's two pit bulls. The dogs attacked a 2-year-old girl, a 5-month-old boy, and their mother in Tennessee. The mother survived the deadly dog attack, but the children were killed.