4-day-old girl dies after attack by her family’s dog, Arkansas police say

A 4-day-old girl was bitten by her family’s dog before she died of her injuries, according to authorities in Arkansas.

The police and fire departments in Cave Springs were called to the dog attack at about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, according to a news release.

There they found a newborn baby who had “suffered severe injuries to her head,” Cave Springs Lt. Keith Lawson said in the statement.

First responders cared for the infant at the scene, officials said, before an ambulance rushed her to Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital in Springdale, about 10 miles southeast of Cave Springs.

The child was then flown to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, authorities said. She later died of injuries from the attack.

“The dog was seized by the police department and euthanized by a local veterinary service in accordance with state law,” Lawson said. Authorities identified the family dog as a 3-year-old Siberian husky.

Police are investigating the baby’s death under standard procedure, according to the news release. Their findings will be sent to the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, “so they can make an informed decision if any violations of Arkansas Law were committed.”

In a statement to McClatchy News, Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith said that “while the investigation is ongoing, at this point I do not expect that it will result in criminal charges.”

This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 9:12 AM with the headline "4-day-old girl dies after attack by her family’s dog, Arkansas police say."