Apple Valley toddler killed by family-owned pit bull

A family pit bull attacked and killed a three-year-old boy on January 9 in Apple Valley, San Bernardino County. A news report indicates that the father left his son momentarily in the backyard to get a toy from inside the house, and upon his return he discovered that his son had already been attacked and was not breathing. Authorities arrived at the scene, and shot and killed the dog, who apparently acted aggressively towards them. The incident was one of five fatal dog attacks in Southern California’s Inland Empire since 2006. Moreover, this "canine homicide" is consistent with epidemiological findings indicating that a disproportional amount of fatal dog attacks are afflicted upon children by pit bull type dogs. The reader should visit the website on fatal dog attacks maintained by Dr. Polsky for additional information about fatal dog attacks on people.