A day after pit bulls fatally mauled a one year boy in Converse, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told TPR on Tuesday that his department will likely not charge the infant’s babysitter for murder.
The child, which the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified as Jiryiah Johnson, was under the care of Heather Rodriguez on Monday. Salazar explained in a press conference on Monday that Rodriguez, 36, left the home and left a 13-year-old girl to watch over the child.
He said that’s when the dogs attacked the children. “It was described to us almost as a tug of war between the 13-year-old over the baby with one of the dogs,” he explained. “At a certain point, additional dogs came into the bedroom and joined the attack.”
The sheriff said the girl was able to flee with the infant into another room and barricade the door until deputies arrived.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury. The child succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.
On Tuesday, Salazar told TPR “The Source” that his department would probably not pursue a murder charge for the baby’s death. “It’s harder to prove murder,” he said. “So at this point I think we’ve got probably the most appropriate charge in this case at this point. Now it is possible she may be facing additional charges for the injuries to her own child, the 13 year old.”
The investigation into the incident continued on Tuesday, and Rodriguez remained in custody at the Bexar County Jail.
There’s been another deadly dog attack in San Antonio. Officials say this one could have been prevented. But it wasn’t. What can be done about the over-population of stray dogs on the streets and about dog owners who don’t keep their animals from running wild? What should be done about dangerous dogs in the name of public safety?
The attack highlighted ongoing difficulties residents in San Antonio and Bexar County have faced with dangerous and loose dogs. Bexar County Animal Control reported that it received 3,341 calls in 2023.
Salazar explained on Monday that law enforcement officials were aware of the problem. “I mean, look, it’s something that we continue to see every day on the news,” he said. “It seems like we’re hearing about vicious dogs, loose dogs, dog attacks. It is something that seems to be on the rise. Now, I don’t know if it’s because we’re increasing awareness and people are calling it in more often, but it certainly is an ongoing issue for us.”
The incident came a month after the family of an elderly man fatally mauled by dogs last year on the city’s West Side filed a federal lawsuit Friday against the City of San Antonio and the city attorney.
The interactive map enables residents to view where such potential threats are located throughout the city. Details include the specific address and how many ‘dangerous dogs’ are at the location.
Ramon Najera, 81, died in February 2023 after American Staffordshire terriers attacked him, his wife Juanita, and several others.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Najera’s wife and children. It alleged the city knew the dogs were a threat to public safety due to several incidents that had been reported prior to the deadly attack, including bite wounds. It also said the city failed to take action and allowed Animal Care Services to release the dogs back into the community.
“The responsibility for the actions of pets lies with the pets’ owners, and in this case the owners have been found criminally liable,” the city attorney’s office said in a statement at the time. “The City will investigate the claims and address them in the litigation if needed.”
State District Judge Velia Meza sentenced Christian Alexander Moreno to 18 years and fined him $5,000. The judge sentenced Abilene Schnieder to 15 years in prison and imposed the same fine.
Dog owners Christian Moreno and Abilene Scheider pleaded guilty to the charge of dangerous dog attack causing death — a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. State District Judge Velia Meza sentenced Moreno to 18 years and fined him $5,000. The judge sentenced Schnieder to 15 years in prison and imposed the same fine. Both Moreno and Schnieder were prohibited from owning dogs again.
A proposal before the San Antonio City Council would raise fines for owners of loose dogs, give the city more authority to spay or neuter dogs they pick up and provide residents who report loose dogs more confidentiality.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
