A tragic incident unfolded in San Antonio, Texas, when a 1-year-old infant was killed by pit bulls owned by his absent babysitter, who had left him home alone with her 13-year-old daughter.
Infant killed by three pit bulls
The babysitter, Heather Rodriguez, 36, now faces multiple felony charges in connection with the horrific attack that resulted in the death of Jiryiah Johnson, an innocent infant who had been entrusted to her care.
The incident occurred on Monday, when Rodriguez, a family friend, was tasked with watching over the baby.
However, after reportedly being called into work, Rodriguez made the fateful decision to leave her 13-year-old daughter in charge of the child and the three pit bulls in their San Antonio home.
According to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, the 13-year-old girl was inside a bedroom with the baby when the pit bulls, described as “viscous,” managed to break through the door and get into the room.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar recounted the heartbreaking scene, praised the teenager for her heroic efforts in trying to save the infant.
“She made every effort possible, even lifting that baby up over her head,” Salazar said. “But my understanding is the dog actually climbed onto something and was able to tear the baby out of her hands.”
In a desperate attempt to protect Jiryiah, the girl reportedly moved between different rooms in the house, trying to evade the attacking dogs.
Salazar noted that the dogs bit the teenager as well, but she continued her efforts to shield the infant from further harm.
Eventually, she barricaded herself and the baby in another bedroom and managed to call for help.
“This little girl was put in a situation where she went from that bedroom to a bathroom to another bedroom, being chased every step of the way by these dogs,” Salazar explained. “[She] sustained injuries herself, and I believe she’s going to have some lasting psychological effects as a result.”
Baby Fatally Injured, Authorities Arrive Too Late
Despite the teenager’s valiant efforts, the baby sustained severe injuries, particularly to his head and throat.
When deputies from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene, they were unable to immediately reach the children due to the presence of the pit bulls.
According to Sheriff Salazar, it wasn’t until Rodriguez returned home and managed to get the dogs outside that first responders could access the children and administer aid to the baby.
Jiryiah was transported to University Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead later that day due to the extensive injuries inflicted by the dogs. k.
Sheriff criticizes babysitter’s negligence
In a press conference, Sheriff Salazar slammed Rodriguez’s decision to leave the baby in a house with dangerous animals.
He criticized her lack of judgment and responsibility, noting that she should have known the risks posed by the pit bulls, especially after they had been involved in previous incidents.
“In a house full of vicious dogs, what did this lady, this suspect, think was going to happen?” Salazar asked.
“If you have a dog like that, that you know is vicious, you know is a problem, for one thing, don’t ever bring babies into the house, especially someone else’s baby.”
The sheriff revealed that Rodriguez had been cited in April for allowing her dogs to run unleashed, forcing a man to flee to his car in fear of being attacked.
Salazar said he was “furious” that despite knowing her dogs were dangerous, Rodriguez exposed both her own child and Jiryiah to the animals because she was motivated by “sheer profit” from the compensation she would receive for watching the boy.
He also accused Rodriguez of prioritizing the well-being of her dogs over taking responsibility for her role in the baby’s death.
Salazar pointed out that she “seemed more concerned with what was going on with those dogs,” than the fact that her animals ended the infant’s life.
Babysitter charged after infant killed by pit bulls
Rodriguez now faces multiple felony charges for her role in the tragic death of Jiryiah Johnson. She was initially charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child with intent, a first-degree felony.
Shortly after, two additional felony charges were filed against her: injury to a child by reckless bodily injury and endangering a child in imminent danger, causing bodily injury.
When asked why the charges had not been upgraded to murder, Sheriff Salazar explained that the charges Rodriguez faces carry the same potential penalties as a murder charge.
If convicted, Rodriguez could face anywhere from 5 to 99 years in prison, or even life, with the possibility of a fine of up to $10,000. Her bond was set at $100,000.
Sheriff Salazar has called for the euthanization of the dogs involved in the fatal attack, although the final decision rests with animal control authorities.
As of now, only one of the three dogs has been surrendered, with the other two in the custody of animal control.
Salazar noted that the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is prepared to pursue legal action to ensure that all three dogs are fully surrendered if necessary.
