An Hispanic three-year-old boy lost his life after being attacked by the family’s dogs when he fell from a window of his home on Wednesday in New Jersey. The awful tragedy took place on South 5th Street in Elizabeth around 5:30 p.m.
Police said the toddler fell from a rear window and was mauled by two pitbulls, which belonged to the family and were in a fenced-in area.
Neighbors described hearing the mother’s screams upon discovering that the boy had fallen from an unlocked window while she was in the bathroom.
According to nbcphiladelphia, members of the Elizabeth Police Department responded to a home on South 5th Street shortly and found the victim with serious injuries, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca and Police Director Earl Graves jointly announced Thursday.
The boy was taken to Trinitas Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 6:30 p.m.
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An investigation revealed that the dogs were in the fenced yard at the time of the incident. Representatives of a local animal control organization responded to the scene and secured the animals, which were transported to another location.
Neighbors shocked
Area residents say the dogs were always a terror. “I cannot believe this happened to a little 3-year-old,” neighbor María Rocha said. “He’s a baby. Could be mine, could be somebody else. He’s a baby, and killed by dogs?”
Authorities said the circumstances are under investigation, but at this point, no charges have been filed.
Anyone with any information about this matter is being urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Richard Acosta at 908-347-0404 or Detective Michael Tambini at 908-472-4301.