Two year old San Diego boy kiled by dog

A two year old boy, Aaron Carlson, in San Diego was attacked and killed by a dog this week  in his home.

There aren't many details on the story.  The attacking dog is about 18 months old and is being called a German Shepherd mix, and has been owned by the family for about 6 months. The boy's mother was apparently asleep downstairs while the victim and his 3 siblings (aged 7, 5 and 3) were alone with the dog.  And the dog fatally attacked the boy.

The attack happened in Military housing in the Tierrasanta neighborhood. The boy's father is deployed.  This is the third similar attack on a military base in recent years.  Last year, the military missed the opportunity to educate their residents about proper supervision of dogs around children and instead blamed dog breeds -- banning 'pit bulls', Rottweilers and wolf hybrids from military bases.  When you focus on breed, and not on circumstances, people remain uneducated as to the cause of attacks and thus, how to prevent them.

The story has been picked up by 80 news outlets. 

My heart goes out to the family as they deal with this tragedy.

Video with images of the dog can be found here.

For the Pit Bulls talks about the difference in media coverage between this attack and a similar one that happened last week.

Comments

[YesBiscuit!]

So the 7 year old was responsible for making sure no bad decisions were made for the family? ugh.

[EmilyS]

another "sleeping" parent doesn't hear screams from her child...

[Lisa in OH]

I just read that the three other children have been removed from the home by CPS

[annon...]

I hope that these children have the strength to "divorce" themselves from this egg donor. I hope that CPS does not return these children to this waste of skin. What mother leaves a 2 year old UPSTAIRS ALONE...then add a dog to the mix. Improper parenting, if you could even call this woman that. I live in murphy canyon, and own dogs, and have a 4 year old, and would NEVER leave my child in another room...or unsupervised with my dogs, I have owned them since they were puppies, and STILL NEVER WOULD LEAVE THEM. This is another story of people unfit to procreate doing so. I feel so bad for the husband, who hopefully has the smarts to divorce this woman, and protect his other children from this hazardous woman. Terminate custody rights from her ASAP, protect your other children, otherwise you are turning your children over to a killer. yes I say killer, she slept through the horror of a toddler screaming bloody murder by a dog. What kind of mother could ever sleep through this kind of horrific event. God bless my son and family, thank you for blessing me with such a beautiful angel, I could never imagine the hurt of this tragic event, I pray for the surviving siblings and the father through these tough times. I will also pray to God that this woman recieves no pitty at the gates of hell. Rest in Peace dear Aaron.

[bob]

It never seases to amaze me how many pit bull lovers and apollogists do not have any kids of their own...and then try and make the comparision that their dogs are their children....

Okay with that out of the way....

It sure does look like there are a lot of people being killed by pit bulls in 2010.

And before you even start the its not the breed its the deed BS...or that its the owners fault....let me throw this out to you....

America is a big place with lots of stupid people who own big powerful dogs who are not pit bulls.

So you would think that you would see an equal amount of dog deaths spread out across breeds...

Where are all the Golden Retreiver or Lab dog bite deaths?

Just more proof that this breed needs to be put under tighter controls.

[R L]

They also banned Chow Chows and Doberman Pinschers that year.

These days I'm hearing whispers of adding German Shepherds and Boxers to that list.

[Homeowner Insurance]

The parents should be responsible to this tragedy and not the dogs.