A six-year-old boy from Portland, Oregon, tragically died in a dog mauling incident on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, 2023. The attack occurred in the Parkrose Heights neighborhood of Portland, at a family friend’s residence on Northeast 112th Avenue.
The Portland Police Bureau reports that the boy was attacked by two Great Dane-Mastiff mix dogs belonging to his grandmother’s friend, who regularly drove the child to school. The incident happened around 7:40 a.m. as the boy followed the woman into the garage, where the dogs were housed, and was subsequently mauled.
The boy’s regular morning caretaker, also the homeowner, tried to intervene but sustained injuries to her hands. She was taken to a hospital for treatment. PPB Public Information Officer Mike Benner stated the woman attempted to pull the dogs off the child and even reached for a gun, though it was not fired, in an effort to stop the attack.
The child, whose name is withheld, was declared dead at the scene. Authorities noted that the child had been warned to stay away from the dogs and the garage. However, there were no previous reports of aggressive behavior from these dogs to Multnomah County Animal Services.
Both dogs are now in the custody of Multnomah County Animal Services, with one identified as the primary aggressor. The PPB Child Abuse Team, assisted by the Homicide Division, is leading the investigation. It is yet to be determined if the dog owner will face criminal charges.
