Babysitter’s Dogs Maul Toddler, 1, to Death Despite Hero Girl, 13, Making ‘Every Effort Possible’ to Save Boy: Police

Jiryiah Johnson succumbed to serious injuries suffered in the attack

A Texas woman is charged with injury to a child after police say a 1-year-old boy was mauled to death by pit bulls.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said during a press briefing that Heather Rodriguez, 36, was arrested after allegedly leaving the boy that she was babysitting, Jiryiah Johnson, with her 13-year-old daughter in a home with the dogs on Monday, Oct. 7.

Salazar alleged that while Jiryiah was in a room with the 13-year-old, in a separate room from the dogs, the animals were able to break into the room and began attacking the children.

At one point, the girl, who did her best to protect the 1-year-old, according to the sheriff, was allegedly engaged in a “tug-of-war” with the dog for the boy. The girl was able to get into a bathroom with Jiryiah, but the dogs again broke through, Salazar said.

Salazar said he believed four dogs were involved in the attack, which also injured the 13-year-old, and that animal control would ultimately decide if the pit bulls would be put down.

Jiryiah eventually succumbed to his injuries, which included a badly damaged windpipe, which allegedly prevented him from breathing on his own, according to the sheriff.

Salazar called the girl’s efforts to protect Jiryiah heroic, saying she made “every possible effort” to save him.

Rodriguez was charged with injury to a child with intent causing serious bodily injury, injury to a child causing reckless bodily injury and endangering a child in imminent danger causing bodily injury, according to the sheriff’s office.

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It is not immediately clear if Rodriguez has entered a plea or retained an attorney.

Salazar claimed that there was a previous incident involving Rodriguez’s dogs, during which a person called the sheriff’s office after a pit bull prevented the caller from getting out of their car. The sheriff added that he did not believe Jiryiah’s parents knew about the prior incident when they allowed Rodriguez to babysit their son.

A GoFundMe started to raise money for funeral expenses has raised over $17,000.

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