2-Year-Old Boy Killed in Dog Bite Attack

A family is grieving after a 2-year-old boy was killed in a dog bite attack. The attack came without warning, according to the child’s grandmother. The dog, a 145-pound Mastiff-Pit Bull mix named “Cash” previously lived with the family for five years before the fatal attack. The family noted no previously aggressive behavior and stated that the dog had not attacked anyone before. The attack occurred around 5:30 pm in Brunswick, Maryland. The family had gathered for a birthday party. While the family was saying goodbye, the dog attacked the child grabbing him in his jaws, and refused to let go. Children had been around the dog all afternoon. Family members of the dog expressed shock as the dog had never shown any vicious propensities before the attack on the two-year-old boy.

Under Maryland law, a dog owner is strictly liable for any injury that their dog causes. The dog’s owner can defend themselves by claiming they had no forewarning of the attack or the dog’s violent propensities. In this article, the Maryland dog bite attorneys at Furman | Honick Law will discuss dog bite lawsuits and how they work.

Dog Bite Lawsuits in Baltimore 

Under Maryland law, evidence of an attack can be used to impute the owner of the dog as having known or should have known that the dog was vicious or dangerous. While the owner can present evidence at trial that they had no forewarning of an attack, this does not mean that they aren’t liable. In the case mentioned above, it remains unclear if a lawsuit will be filed against the owners of the dog or not. The families were friends and enjoying one another’s company at the time that the dog attacked. The two-year-old boy was killed because of the attack even as emergency medical personnel tried to save him. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital but died en route.

After the attack, the dog was seized by animal control and quarantined in their custody. Authorities may decide to euthanize the dog because of the attack.

When is a dog owner liable for a dog attack? 

There are three conditions under which a dog owner would not be liable for a dog attack. Those are when the injured party is trespassing on private property, when the injured party is attempting to commit a criminal offense against the dog owner, and when the injured party harasses, annoys, or otherwise provokes the dog to attack. In those cases, the dog owner would not be liable for any injuries that the dog causes. But that was certainly not the case with the two-year-old.

Talk to a Baltimore Dog Bite Lawyer Today 

Furman | Honick Law represents the interests of those injured in dog bite attacks. Call our Maryland dog bite attorneys today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin discussing how you can recover monetary damages related to your injuries.