Watch CBS News

4-Year-Old Brooklyn Boy Killed In Dog Attack

BROOKLYN, NY (CBSNewYork) – A 4-year-old boy is dead after being attacked by a Cane Corso mastiff in his family's Brooklyn apartment.

It happened late Thursday night in the first floor apartment of a building on Pacific Street. Police say the dog bit 4-year-old Jayelin Graham multiple times on his head, neck and stomach.

1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reports: Neighbors Say Attack Was Tragedy Waiting To Happen

Podcast

Neighbors say the mastiff was in a cage, but often left alone with children.

"The dog was over by the cage, he was outside. There was another dog in the cage. The baby was lying on the floor with his head, like this, like this and the whole neck," said Shirley Barnes, who witnessed the attack.

The boy was rushed to Brookdale Hospital, where he later died.

"He was a kid, he was a little kid," Jayelin's godmother, Ashley Della Cruz, said. "All he wanted to to was play. He just wanted to play with the kids on the block.

"He was no trouble at all, not at all – he was a good kid," she added. "It's not fair, it really isn't."

Police sedated and removed the dog after the attack. They also removed a second dog, a German Shepherd, from the home.

"It was very hard for people to control them – they were dangerous dogs," Della Cruz said.

Officials say the German Shepherd was not involved in the attack, but was still taken to the headquarters of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals along with the Cane Corso mastiff.

dog attack
Police sedated and removed the Cane Corso mastiff after an attack on a 4-year-old Brooklyn boy, May 27, 2011 (credit: CBS 2)

Neighbors say they tried to help the little boy.

"We had a gentleman on the block who helped get the child out," said Stacy Barnes, who witnessed attack.

The boy's two brothers, ages two and five, were not hurt in the attack.

Police say conditions inside the home were not good. They said they found animal feces and urine inside.

Officers arriving at the building encountered a chaotic scene and ended up arresting a handful of people for allegedly trying to incite a riot.

The ASPCA will decide what will be done with the dog that mauled the little boy. Police are questioning his mother and say she could face criminal charges.

Some neighbors say the mother often left Jayelin and his young siblings alone with the dog and other animals and needs to be held accountible for the attack.

The superintendent in the building said the dog belonged to a man who lived with the boy's mother.

What do you think? Sound off below in our comments section.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.