1-Year-Old Boy Tragically Mauled to Death by Pit Bulls in Texas
(GoFundMe/Bexar County Jail)
A 1-year-old boy, Jiryiah Johnson, was fatally mauled by a pack of pit bulls in Texas after his babysitter left him alone with her teenage daughter, according to police reports. The incident occurred early Monday in Converse, Texas, when babysitter Heather Rodriguez, 36, left Jiryiah in the care of her 13-year-old daughter, along with three pit bulls in their home, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters.
The tragic attack began when one of the pit bulls broke through a bedroom door and started mauling the baby. Despite the teenage girl’s efforts to protect Jiryiah, the other two dogs quickly joined the attack, as reported by News4SA. “The 13-year-old was able to hold onto the baby, but it was described to me as almost a tug-of-war between one of the dogs and the girl for the baby,” Sheriff Salazar said.
The teenager attempted to shield the boy by taking him to a bathroom, but the dogs followed them inside. After making a desperate phone call to the police, she barricaded herself and the baby in another bedroom, using her body to hold the door shut until help arrived. Photos from the scene showed the dogs had ripped large chunks off the door during the attack.
The brave teen suffered several bite wounds during the attack as she fought to protect Jiryiah. “I’ve got to be honest, the 13-year-old in this instance is absolutely — I’m considering her a hero,” Salazar remarked.
Jiryiah sustained severe injuries to his neck and face and was rushed to a local hospital, where he underwent emergency surgeries. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries later that evening, just before 9:30 p.m., Sheriff Salazar confirmed.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with injury to a child with serious bodily injury by omission, a first-degree felony. She remains in custody at Bexar County Jail and may face additional charges related to her daughter’s injuries, officials said.
Authorities seized the three pit bulls despite Rodriguez’s protests. Sheriff Salazar expressed concern over her priorities, noting, “For her to be more concerned with the dogs involved in the attack than the child who was killed is a serious cause for concern. It will definitely be taken into consideration moving forward.”
This was not the first time police had responded to Rodriguez’s residence regarding her dogs. She had previously been cited for failing to restrain them after an incident where the dogs trapped someone in their car. Despite that, she had been allowed to keep the dogs until this tragic event.
