SAN ANTONIO – A 36-year-old woman tasked with babysitting a 1-year-old baby has been arrested after multiple dogs attacked the child, who is now hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Heather Rodriguez took the baby into her home in the 9700 block of Spruce Ridge Drive near Converse in northeast Bexar County on Monday morning.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said Rodriguez left the home and sequestered the baby in a room with her 13-year-old daughter to keep the child away from the dogs.
BCSO said the dogs forced their way into the room as they had damaged the door previously.
According to Salazar, the teen was able to maintain control of the baby, but it was like a “tug of war” between her and the dogs for the child. She finally got herself and the baby into a bathroom, and the dogs forced themselves into it.
The girl had to break away and leave the baby in the bathroom with the dogs to get her cellphone and call for help. She then ran back to get the baby in the bathroom, according to BCSO.
Salazar said the girl then was able to take herself and the baby into another bedroom and had to barricade the door with her body to keep the dogs away.
Deputies then arrived and rendered aid immediately upon seeing what had happened.
The baby was taken to the Brooke Army Medical Center in critical condition. He was not stable enough to airlift him to University Hospital for further treatment.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Salazar said.
The sheriff said the baby has severe head injuries and throat damage to the point that the baby cannot breathe on his own.
“God willing this baby survives,” Salazar said.
The baby’s parents are with the child in the hospital while he undergoes treatment.
Previous incidents
In April, BCSO was dispatched to the home for loose dogs after a caller called 911 and said he was stuck in his car and needed help to get him out of the vehicle.
Salazar said the dogs were secured at the time, but Rodriguez was cited because she hadn’t restrained them.
Investigation into dog attack
Salazar said the baby’s parents knew Rodriguez had dogs, which he described as “XL pits” but didn’t know they were problematic.
She faces a charge of injury to a child with serious bodily injury by omission and may face more charges due to the 13-year-old girl being hurt in the attack.
Salazar called the girl a “hero” for her actions in response to the attack, which lasted about two minutes.
Animal Control has taken custody of the dogs for now. Salazar said Rodriguez did not want to give up the dogs, but BCSO stepped in.
The sheriff said Rodriguez seemed more concerned about the dogs than the baby and refused to give a statement to BCSO.
Child Protective Services is also investigating this case, not only for the baby but also because the 13-year-old girl was injured in the attack, according to Salazar.