A 6-month-old baby sustained major injuries in a dog bite incident after he was mauled by pit bulls in an apartment. The Press-Enterprise reports that the child was left unattended in an infant carrier on the floor of the apartment on April 3, 2010 when a pit bull and a pit bull mix tore the baby's diaper and bit his scrotum, severing his testicles. The mother of the child, 22-year-old Carrie McKinney – was visiting her friend identified as Doug Ritchey, also the dogs' owner. The infant was taken to an area hospital. His current condition is not known.

This is a horrific incident, which should have never happened. I hope this child has not sustained life-threatening injuries although the consequences of this incident, should the baby survive, may be life-long. Please pray for this child's recovery and well-being. He will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.

Pit Bull Statistics

During the five-year period between January 1, 2005 and March 8, 2010, 158 dog attacks took place in the United States, according to data gathered by the victims' safety advocacy group, Dogsbite.org. Pit bulls were involved in 56 percent of these attacks. Rottweilers accounted for 15 percent of dog bite fatalities. Together, pit bulls and Rottweilers accounted for 70 percent of all dog attacks.

If the details of this news report are accurate, the baby's mother left her child in a room with two pit bulls, alone and unsupervised, leading to these horrific and catastrophic injuries. This incident is yet another tragic reminder that parents should never, ever, leave their children alone in the presence of any dog or animal, let alone aggressive breeds of dog such as pit bulls or Rottweilers.

This 6-month-old baby strapped in a carrier could certainly not have provoked these dogs. This child is now another victim of negligence. If your child or a loved one has been injured by the actions of a negligent dog owner, please understand that you do have rights. California’s Civil Code Section 3342 which states: "The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness."

An experienced California personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims about their legal rights and options. Please remember that the dog owner's homeowners insurance will also cover injuries and damages caused by dog bites.

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None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Lawyers News" They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.