SAN ANTONIO – A judge on Thursday determined the fate of three dogs that belong to a woman who is charged in connection with an attack that claimed the life of a 1-year-old boy and injured the woman’s teenage daughter.
During the dangerous dog hearing, the judge decided for the three dogs to be euthanized. The owner, Heather Rodriguez, 36, has 10 days to appeal the ruling.
Thursday’s hearing was a civil matter and didn’t involve the criminal case in which Rodriguez faces multiple charges.
A Bexar County spokesperson told KSAT Thursday morning that the reason for the hearing was for Rodriguez to explain why she did not willingly surrender two of the three dogs.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office seized the dog directly involved in the attack, which Rodriguez agreed to surrender ownership of. Two other dogs were also seized; however, Rodriguez did not agree to hand them over, the spokesperson said.
Two new charges against Rodriguez were filed last week, BCSO said in an email last Wednesday.
She is charged with injury to a child — reckless bodily injury and endangering a child, imminent danger — causing bodily injury.
The new charges stemmed from Rodriguez leaving her 13-year-old daughter alone with the baby, BCSO said.
On Oct. 8, one day before the new charges were filed, Rodriguez was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury after two dogs in her home broke through a bedroom door and attacked her 13-year-old daughter and 1-year-old baby whom Rodriguez left with the teen.
The child, Jiryiah Johnson, died Oct. 8 as a result of the injuries he had suffered, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed.
Rodriguez has not been indicted in the criminal case yet. She has no upcoming court hearings until she is indicted or her attorney requests a pre-indictment hearing.
Related coverage on KSAT: