Child’s death still under investigation

DUFUR — The death of a two-year-old child is still under investigation, after a pitbull killed them on Oct. 14 in a Dufur Park.

With its owner’s help, the dog was put down. It is not known why the pitbull attacked the child.

“It’s fair to say there’s no belief that anybody deliberately caused any of this to happen,” Wasco County District Attorney Kara Davis said. She hopes to wrap the investigation up in another month or two.

“It was very tragic, and I know that all the first responders ... felt it very very deeply. It’s a tough incident,” she said.

Davis said this was a also rare thing, and the first time she’s had to see a child killed by an animal. She recalls no other cases of fatal dog bites here.

No further information could be released, due to the ongoing investigation. Sheriff Lane Magill could not comment for the same reason.

More minor dog bites are common and, if injuries occur or someone else’s dog is accused by the injured, often reported to the police.

Asked about keeping children safe from dogs in general, Davis gave some advice, which she noted is not related to anything that happened on Oct. 14:

Be careful when children meet unfamiliar pets. Especially on holiday visits, either keep kids and pets apart, or “make a purposeful integration” before introducing the kid and the animal. Make sure they know how to handle the animal safety, and make sure you know how the animal will deal with this new experience.

“Any time a family is around animals, or owns animals, it’s always best to be a very knowledgeable and educated pet owner,” she said.