An Alabama toddler was mauled to death by a neighbor’s dogs in what police called a “tremendous tragic accident.”
Mark Alan, 2, wandered from his New Hope home Friday and opened the gate to the neighbor’s property before being killed by the resident’s two dogs, a Siberian husky and a German shepherd/golden retriever mix, according to police and local outlets.
The tot’s “completely shattered” mom, Kayla Hughey Partain, took to Facebook on Saturday to say no one was to blame for the “very tragic accident.”
“The hurt is unreal. I don’t even feel like I’m living in reality. My children’s hearts are so broken. I’d like to thank everyone that has messaged, prayed, or sent kind words,” the grieving woman wrote.
“I’ve spoken with all of the police and investigators. There will be a full investigation but it looks as if this was just a very tragic accident with no one to be held at fault,” she added.
New Hope police confirmed there was no criminality, calling the incident a “tremendous tragic accident.”
The dogs’ owner, Ricky Clark, recalled the aftermath of the incident to WAAY-TV, when Alan’s father told him what happened.
“He was banging on the door real hard, and he said, ‘It’s my son! It’s my son! I think he might be dead!’ ” Clark said.
“I couldn’t believe it because my dogs ain’t never growled or barked at nobody or nothing. If I even had a clue that those dogs were going to hurt anybody, I wouldn’t have had them,” the dog owner said.
The neighbor theorized that the dogs had been trying to protect the child from a brown bulldog that had been running through the neighborhood.
“[Mark] might’ve opened the gate, and that other dog might’ve come in here with him, and then they might’ve all went at it, and he might’ve been right in the middle of it,” said Clark.
Clark’s dogs were taken by animal control and set to be returned to him after 10 days, according to the report.
An autopsy was set to be conducted on the boy before he was laid to rest.
