A 34-year-old woman from Emmeloord has been acquitted of negligence after her dog fatally attacked her two-month-old son. The attack occurred last August when the baby was severely injured in their apartment.
According to a reconstruction, the baby was on the couch while the dog was on the floor when the mother left briefly to prepare a bottle. The child was later pronounced dead at the hospital despite resuscitation attempts.
The dog, identified as a mix of an American Staffordshire Terrier and a pit bull, was seized and euthanized on expert advice. The Public Prosecution Service sought a conditional prison sentence, arguing the mother was negligent.
While the court agreed she should have been more aware of the risks, it deemed a sentence inappropriate given the circumstances, noting the mother only lost sight of the baby and dog for a few seconds. The court also highlighted uncertainties about whether the dog’s aggression could have been prevented through more socialization and training.
Source: NOS