A toddler killed in a dog bite incident the afternoon of January 9, 2010, has been identified as 3-year-old Omar Martinez. The San Bernardino County Sun reports that the boy was mauled to death by his family's pit bull in the backyard of his own home. The dog was behaving aggressively toward emergency personnel who were helping the injured and unresponsive boy.

So police officers shot and killed the pit bull. Omar was taken to an area hospital where he died. Omar was apparently with his father in their backyard. The dog attacked Omar when his father stepped inside the house. Authorities have said that none of the dogs in that home seemed to have had any history of aggression.

My heart goes out to the family of this little boy, especially his parents, for their heartbreaking loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to them. Please keep them in your prayers.

Dog Bite Incidents

The latest statistics released by Dogsbite.org shows that there were 32 fatal dog attacks in the United States in 2009. Pit bulls as a breed accounted for nearly half of these attacks (44 percent) despite making up only 5 percent of the dog population in the country. The statistics also show that 63 percent of the deadly dog attacks involved children 11 years or younger.

Liability in Dog Attacks

In this particular case, it was a tragic incident where a child was killed by his own family's dog. However, had this been a neighbor's child or a visitor to the house that had been attacked, the dog owner could be held liable for the attack and resulting injuries or fatalities. California has what is known as a "strict liability statute" when it comes to dog attacks. This means that when dogs attack and injure an innocent victim, the owner is held financially responsible for the injuries and damages caused – whether the attack occurs on public or private property and whether or not the owner knows about his or her dog's prior viciousness. The only exceptions are when the dog has been provoked or hurt and when the dog bites someone who is intruding or trespassing, such as a burglar.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack, please get in touch with a reputed
California personal injury lawyer, who will hold the negligent dog owner responsible and make sure you receive fair compensation for your injuries and damages.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.