Brooklynn Milburn, 3-years old, was mauled to death by a neighbor's rottweiler.
No Charges Expected
UPDATE 01/24/09: A family representative has spoken to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Jeremy Moore said that Brooklynn Milburn and her 5-year-old brother, Daniel, were playing while her grandfather was in the kitchen cooking. Brooklynn slipped out the back door into the yard and had "moved a heavy metal table" that covered a small hole in the fence separating the two yards, Moore said. The dog's owner and her grandfather found the girl at the same time, he said.
"Can you imagine being asked to watch someone’s children for 15 minutes and then have a child die?" Moore asked. "This is something that he will never get over.
"Everyone is thinking of something that they could have done differently that might have led to a different outcome. But the answer is sometimes bad things happen and it’s no one’s fault."
The Tarrant County medical examiner ruled that Brooklynn bled to death because of bites to her face, scalp and neck. The death was ruled an accident. - Fort Worth Star-Telegram, January 24, 2009
01/19/09: Charges Are Still Undetermined
Tarrant County prosecutors are still deciding whether charges will be filed in connection with a tragic dog attack that killed Brooklynn. This may indicate there is evidence that the child was "pulled through" the fence by the dog. The dog's owner said it was the first time her pet had ever hurt anyone. Sadly, fatal attacks by rottweilers and pit bulls are frequently the dog's first attack. A memorial service for Brooklyn is being held Wednesday at the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
01/17/09: 17-Year Old Rottweiler Kills Child
Fort Worth, TX - A 3-year-old girl was mauled to death by her neighbor's rottweiler. Brooklynn Grace Milburn was playing in her back yard when she reportedly crawled through a small hole in the fence separating the two yards, according to police. The 17-year-old rottweiler attacked her in the head, face and neck. The family's pastor, Mike Tucker, of the Seventh Day Adventist Church said the fatal dog mauling was "sickeningly tragic" and that the whole family is devastated.
Fort Worth Police received the call at about 6:00 pm Friday in the 3900 block of Buckhorn Place in north Fort Worth. 3-year old Brooklynn Milburn was rushed to Cook Children's Medical Center, but doctors could not save her life. Tucker said the girl's mother, father, grandfather and 5-year-old brother were inside the house when she she somehow managed to slip out the back door. The hole in the fence was so small, nobody thought the child could even fit through it, Tucker said.
Related articles:
01/14/09: 2009 Fatality: 4-Year Old Mauled to Death by Family Rottweiler
01/06/09: 2009 Fatality: 5-Year Old Chyenne Peppers Killed by Three Family Pit Bulls
It doesn’t matter how small the hole was.
No one has the right to own an aggressive dog, because it is impossible to be sure that the dog will be kept contained
And I wonder if this is not yet another chained dog?
I’m curious, how is it that “the hole in the fence was so small, nobotdy thought the child could fit throught it” and yet everyone assumes that that is how the child entered the yard, even though no one saw it happen? Seems like the hole in the fence is conceivably big enough for the child to have fit through…
A summary of recent serious and fatal rottweiler attacks. It’s chilling:
http://www.examiner.com/x-750-Pet-Examiner~y2009m1d17-A-rash-of-Rottweiler-attacks
Crawled throught or pulled through? Kind of kills the argument that “my dog is too old to be dangerous”
I am her mother. It is unknown if she crawled through (impossible in my opinion) or pulled through. The surrounding wood was old but no way she could have gone through on her own strength. We have been putting up new sections of the fence as we had the money and that particular hole was behind a shed and we had a table wedged up against it. When I heard that everyone was saying she easily went to the neighbors yard I just want to set it straight that the dog was not chained or in an additional pin. …….I can’t write anymore….please pray for our family
It is inconceivable that she went through the fence on her own. Unfortunately, children are frequently blamed in these types of attacks. In 2007, the Army blamed a 3-year old child for climbing a chain link fence to “get inside” of the yard of a pit bull that killed the child.
https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatalities-2007.php#fisher
All of us are praying for your family Liz. This is a horrible tragedy.
Your family is in my prayers Liz. I am SO sorry for your inconceivable loss.
Liz, I am so sorry.
I know that you are suffering but I hope you will contact a powerful attorney to represent your family’s rights.
I am very concerned that you and your daughter, the victims, will get blamed.
The owners of the dog are at fault, but also potentially the city and animal control if they knew this dog had problems and did nothing.
Also the fence was the dog owner’s responsibility.
Also, I believe the comment about the chained dog was not a reflection on your daughter’s entry into the yard, but a reflection of the chained dog problem. People chain these aggressive dogs, the chains break or get loose, and the dogs leave the yard and attack.
A chained dog is like a bomb waiting to go off. It makes a normal dog aggressive, and turns an aggressive dog into a weapon.
You have our prayers Liz, and anything else you need. I wish you the strength to get through this. No one should have to go through a loss like this.
A dog attack is never a child’s fault. If the dog did pull her through then they will find out, there would be evidence of that.
Dear Liz, I know you are a wonderful mother and this terrible tragedy is felt deeply by the people who come to this site. We all know you are in a state of shock and would so love to comfort you. I hope you will write a few words when you are able. There is no excuse for anyone to own such a dog. Truly God bless and keep you.I know He now holds your little girl with tender love.
Charges are still undecided:
Tarrant County prosecutors are still deciding whether charges will be filed in connection with a tragic dog attack that killed a Fort Worth toddler. Brooklynn Milburn had crawled under a fence and into a neighbor’s yard on Friday afternoon when the three-year-old was mauled by a Rottweiler. The dog’s owner said it was the first time in 17 years her pet had ever hurt anyone.
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090119_wz_girlmauled.dc75c7c.html
I look in the face of that child and think, how uncivilzed have we become if we even have to THINK about pressing charges?
Having an aggressive breed of dog, and not keeping that dog contained, is a crime.
And the dog owner clearly was not maintaining fences.
I hope that dog owner is sued for everything they have. They killed this little girl.
And if that city did not follow up on complaints about that dog, they should as well
Liz I am so, so sorry for your loss. As the parent of a small child I have no idea the pain you must be going through now.
Our family has been praying for your family since we heard this terrible news over the weekend.
May God comfort you and your family in this difficult time. God bless you all.
We need to educate the public that old rottweilers are particularly dangerous. Rottweilers are prone to health problems. Any dog in pain is unpredictable and dangerous, especially rotties. Responsible owners should have such dogs kept inside the house away from children at all times if not put down at the first sign of disability or unmanageable pain. My heart goes out to this family and our prayers are with you.
Young Rottweilers are just as dangerous, perhaps even more so
It’s an aggressive breed, and the breeders certainly are not “breeding out” the aggression
“Apparently, Brooklynn slipped out the back door into the yard and moved a heavy metal table that covered a small hole in the fence separating her from the next yard.”
I would love to hear the explanation of how a three year old moved a HEAVY METAL table!
But it doesn’t matter. The dog owner who owned a vicious dog had a responsiblity to keep that dog away from anyone. The owner did not maintain the fence.
SUE SUE SUE
Uncle David, Liz & Family
I cannot even begin to contemplate the pain you are feeling. I am so sorry this happened to you or anyone. Brooklyn wasa beautiful young girl, I wish I could have met her. She looks so much like my son, I am heartbroken about this. I hope you and your family get the justice you deserve. My Prayers are with all of you and Brooklyn as well. I love you all and send it you.
I just wanted to share some of Brooklynn’s memeories on http://www.rememberingbrooklynn.com
It is a website a friend made to honor her memory and the joy she brougtht to so many in just 3 1/2 years. We will be posting more pictures and videos as we can. Thank you all who have left words of encouragement and those that continue to pray for our family.
In Christ, Liz Milburn
Liz I am sorry for your loss. I know it is a sad time. We all must remember it was dark when the kid was there. Most large breeds (even Mastiffs) will growl at someone when they are around their fence. No one is sure the dog pulled her through. If it was small we would all have to see atleast a broken arm if it is that small. But both are now gone. Just pray for the families who were both involved.
the neighbors need to be in prison for murder. weather or not the toddler stumbled upon the dog. the neighbors should not have owned a dangerous dog that could have access to children. what does the Bible tell us about animals. in several passages God makes it clear that human beings are much more valuable than animals. all these animal rights activists make me sick