Posted on 01/25/2006 10:45:07 AM PST by iPod Shuffle
Cops: Girl Died While Playing With Family Dog
(AP) MANORVILLE A six-year-old girl playing with her dog in the backyard was strangled - when the pet apparently grabbed her scarf and playfully pulled her down to the ground and dragged her around the yard. Suffolk County Homicide Detective Lieutenant John Fitzpatrick calls it "an absolutely tragic story."
Police say the accident happened in the backyard of little Kaitlyn Hassard at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon. The girl came home from school wearing the scarf and the dog began pulling on it. The girl's mother put the dog in the backyard and a few minutes later Kaitlyn asked to go out and play with the dog, which weighs about 70 pounds.
The one-and-a-half Golden Retriever named Jessie, again began playing with the 40-pound girl tugging on her scarf.
Lieutenant Fitzpatrick says the girl was in the yard for no more than ten minutes, because the family was going to run an errand at the Post Office. When her eleven-year-old brother went to the backyard to get his sister, he found her lying on the ground.
The boy called his mother who called 9-1-1 and began CPR. The girl was pronounced dead at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. Lieutenant Fitzpatrick says "there were no injuries inflicted by the dog." He adds "I don't believe the dog's actions were intentionally malicious."
The dog has been brought to the Brookhaven Animal Shelter.
No! How awful!
Big downer.
Doesn't seem to be any foul play, negligence, or criminal intent, but it's still a tragedy.
Hmmm... I'm not buying this one. I hope the cops interview this family a few more times about what happened.
Prayers from TX
My God.
FGS, lighten up; sometimes things just are what they are.
How horrible!! Right in my 'hood, too.
What kind of knot was tied in the scarf?? Just doesn't sound right. Still a tragedy.
Awful tragedy. Prayers for the family.
Sad, the sad part if on top of the parents grief there will probably be a lynching mob going after the parents inventing some outrageous reason it was their fault.
Sad business. I see that the breed was not mentioned, so it's probably not a pit bull.
Poor parents. How will they forgive themselves?
Stupid me. Golden Retriever. Never mind.
if = is, please excuse the typonese..
Horrible accident...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.