Dogs involved in mauling of San Antonio toddler to be euthanized, judge rules

A Bexar County judge on Thursday ordered three dogs involved in the gruesome mauling death of a San Antonio-area toddler to be euthanized.

Bexar County Precinct 4 Judge Michele Garcia ruled that the trio of pit pulls met the state’s definition of “dangerous dog.” Under Texas Health and Safety Code, the court “must order the dogs destroyed” if a judge finds they caused a death, according to KENS 5.

Heather Rodriguez, the dogs’ 36-year-old owner, has 10 days to appeal the decision, the TV station reports. She attended the hearing via Zoom from Bexar County Jail

Rodriguez faces a slew of charges, including injury to a child and causing bodily injury by omission, among others. She’s being held on $250,000 bond, according to county court records.

The charges stem from an Oct. 7 attack in which Rodriguez’s three pit bulls mauled year-old Jiryiah Johnson. Rodriguez was babysitting the child but left him in the care of her 13-year-old daughter.

The three dogs made their way to a room where Johnson was sleeping and attacked. The teenage daughter entered the room and tried to fight off the canines, getting into a “tug-of-war” between them and the baby, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters.

Johnson was taken to hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

A GoFundMe to help the mother of the deceased child is still taking donations. It’s raised $23,855 as of press time — just short of its $25,000 goal.

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This article appears in Oct 16-29, 2024.