A 2-month-old boy has died after being mauled by one of his family’s pet dogs, Houston police said.
The boy — identified as Michael James Obergas — was pronounced dead Saturday afternoon at a Houston hospital.
Police responded to a home on a report of a child bitten by a dog. A preliminary investigation determined the baby was left in his bassinet in a secure room when the parents stepped away. Investigators said one of the family’s two dogs managed to open the door to the bedroom and attack the infant.
Police said the boy’s parents were questioned. No charges were filed.
Houston police said both dogs, a giant schnauzer mix and a Labrador retriever mix, were transported to an animal control facility following the attack. An official with the city’s animal control agency said Monday that both dogs were euthanized and will be tested for rabies.
Dr. Hallie Ray Moore, who owns the Oak Forest Veterinary Hospital, told KTRK in Houston that even long time family pets can react badly when a new baby is brought into the home.
“You should never ever leave the baby alone in the presence of a dog,” Dr. Ray Moore said. “However, it doesn’t sound like that was even done in this case. This is just worst-case scenario.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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