The sheriff revealed the baby was suffering from "pretty severe head injuries" and noted his throat and airway were so damaged he couldn't breathe normally
A toddler and a teenager are currently recovering in Texas following a horrifying dog attack that lasted around two minutes, leaving them with significant injuries and psychological trauma, according to police reports.
Heather Rodriguez, aged 36, was taken into custody on Monday morning after initial investigations revealed that she had left her four XL American bullies unattended with a one year old boy she was babysitting and a 13 year old girl, as stated by Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar during a press conference.
Rodriguez had left her residence in Converse, Texas for reasons yet unknown, while the baby and the young girl remained in a bedroom to keep themselves safe from the dogs, which were known to be destructive, Salazar explained.
At some point, the dogs managed to break into the bedroom by destroying a bathroom door that was already damaged by them, the sheriff added. Once inside the room, the dogs started attacking the baby, said Salazar.
"The 13-year-old was able to maintain control of the baby, but at this point, and what's being described to me, it was almost a tug of war for the baby between at least one of the dogs and the little girl," according to the sheriff.
While this struggle was ongoing, more dogs entered the room and joined in the attack, according to Salazar. The 13 year old spent several minutes trying to fend off the dogs, getting bitten in the process, the sheriff further noted.
"At a certain point, she had to break away and physically left the baby behind in the bathroom," revealed the sheriff. After dialing 911, the girl moved the baby into another bedroom where she barricaded the door, Sheriff Salazar explained. The brave 13 year old used her body as a barrier to stop the dogs from entering the room.
Upon arrival, deputies took control of the situation and immediately began administering first aid to the baby, said Salazar. Emergency responders then rushed the infant to the hospital.
"From what we understand about the baby right now, he's definitely in critical condition," the sheriff shared. "I've actually seen some pictures of the baby from our body camera video... it's heartbreaking to see anybody in that condition."
Salazar described the baby as suffering from "pretty severe head injuries" and noted his throat and airway were so damaged he couldn't breathe normally. The baby's parents, who claimed they were unaware Rodriguez's dogs were "problematic," were reunited with their child at the hospital on Monday morning.
"I'm led to believe they would not have let (Rodriguez) care for their baby the way that they did had they known that these dogs were unsafe," Salazar stated.
Rodriguez, in addition to being charged with felony injury to a child, was also cited for allowing her dogs to roam freely without a leash, according to Salazar. She may face further charges due to the injuries sustained by the teenager, who deputies discovered inside the house covered in the infant boy's blood, he added.
"I've got to be honest, the 13-year-old in this instance, I'm considering her a hero," the sheriff said. "I think her actions led to the baby not being mauled even more seriously, or even killed as a result of this savage dog attack."
Child Protective Services is involved in this case to ensure the baby's wellbeing and to assess if the 13 year old "is able to hold it together as a result of what she saw and experienced," according to the sheriff.
"It's certainly a heartbreaking situation for all," expressed Salazar. It remains uncertain whether Rodriguez has secured legal representation yet.
The sheriff stated that at least two of the four dogs were primarily involved in the attack, but it's possible that all of them participated to some extent.
"Obviously for me, any dog that took part in it needs to be put down," declared Salazar. "As heartbreaking as that sounds, the life of a little baby is much more important."
The dogs are now in the custody of Bexar County Animal Control, which will decide their fate, according to the sheriff. He also mentioned that Rodriguez resisted when deputies arrived to remove the dogs.
"If we're able to find out that one of the dogs, or several of the dogs were not responsible, then fine," Salazar stated. "Perhaps those can go back, but (Rodriguez) seemed to be more concerned with what was going on with those dogs than with the fact that her inaction (and) her omissions almost caused the death of a baby."