Hamilton, New Zealand: A newborn baby boy said to be only one day old has lost his life after he was mauled by the family dog.
The vicious creature attacked the infant at a property in Enderley, North Island last Sunday night, leaving him barely alive.
Emergency services quickly brought the baby to Waikato Hospital where he was being treated at the intensive care unit.
The newborn had spent the night fighting for survival, but on Tuesday night authorities told news.com.au that he died.
“Police are continuing to make enquiries, and are liaising with relevant agencies,” a police spokesperson said.
The mother of a newborn who was mauled to death by the family’s pet Rottweiler has shared a heartbreaking post.https://t.co/coPOPaPUcP
— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) October 28, 2020
The little angel, who had been born just the night prior to the incident, was viciously bitten by the family’s rottweiler at around 7 pm while his mother was in the toilet, according to Stuff.
A neighbor told the outlet she had seen the mom sitting on the grass verge next to the road, gently holding her newborn.
“I sat beside the mother and put my arm around her,” Karen said.
“The baby boy was crying really hard. He was just so little.”
Karen said the baby boy was “all dirty and had bits of blood on him”. She also said she could tell that the dog had tried to bury the baby.
“All she did was pop to the toilet and it happened just like that,” Karen told Stuff.
“The whole thing is horrible, every time I close my eyes I just see him.”
Karen explained the mother had two dogs. “She told me which dog did it. It was the rottweiler.”
Newborn baby left fighting for its life after being MAULED by a dog https://t.co/bcWkyd8gKW
— Daily Mail Australia (@DailyMailAU) October 26, 2020
The neighbor said the mom had gotten the dog recently, but both of her dogs have now been taken and placed in a council pound.
According to NZ Herald, Hamilton City Council animal control manager Susan Stanford said workers at the pound were contacted by police a little after 7 pm to deal with a reported dog attack involving a newborn.
“This is a traumatic time for all involved and our thoughts are with the families and individuals involved,” she said.
Ms. Stanford said the city council is doing everything they can to help authorities in their investigation.
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