The pit bull seen in quarantine at the Allen County pound (video/Hometown Stations).
Blade Republishes
UPDATE 05/21/12: After pulling their first story, the Toledo Blade, we refer to as the Yellow or Biased Toldeo Blade, republished under a new title. This news entity has a long history of not just pushing the pro-pit bull cause, but was instrumental in bringing down former Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon and ensuring the passage of legislation that repealed Ohio's longstanding pit bull law. Makayla's death comes just days before May 22, when the repeal goes into effect.
If one does a search on Google News for "Makayla Darnell" guess what article is listed as "highly cited? (Screenshot). The trouble is, that article was removed and leads to an error.1 News began breaking over the weekend about May 22, the day the State of Ohio loses its 25-year old pit bull law, which ominously falls on day three of National Dog Bite Prevention Week this year. We expect much more news about this to follow and the death of Makayla Darnell to quickly be forgotten.
05/18/12: Autopsy: Death by Dog Bite
Lucas County Coroner Dr. Cynthia Beisser said Friday that the baby died from blunt force injury to the head. Dr. Beisser said it was consistent with a "dog biting down on the head." Apparently the baby's mother and grandmother were just a few feet away preparing food when the attack occurred. The fatally attacking dog remains in custody while the investigation continues. Dog Warden Julie Shellhammer confirmed that the dog was a male pit bull-mix about 4 years old.
The baby girl, Makayla Darnell, was just three days old. During interviews with the Allen County Sheriff's Department, family members said the dog was not aggressive before the attack. The pit bull mix is now in quarantine at the Allen County Dog Warden's Office.
Detectives are still investigating the incident, however, Sheriff Sam Crish says the baby was injured Thursday evening at a home on Thayer Road near Beaverdam. Makayla Darnell was in a baby swing while her mother -- Audrianna Myers and grandmother -- Janette Myers were in a room nearby. They heard a whimper and then saw blood on the swing. - Your Hometown Stations, May 25, 2012
05/18/12: Infant Killed by Family Dog
Monroe Township, OH - In a developing story, a 3-day old baby girl died late Thursday night after being attacked by the family pit bull-mix. Makayla Darnell was sitting in her swing in the living room and her parents were in the kitchen of their northern Allen County home at the time of the attack. The baby's parents, Audrianna Myers and Jared Darnell, drove the injured infant to Blanchard Valley Hospital where it was airlifted to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo.
The dog, a pit bull mix, was taken to Allen County Dog Warden's shelter, where it is being held in impound until the investigation is completed, Everett said. He did not know the fate of the dog.
“Right now it's being quarantined until we're done with the investigation,” Everett said. The dog is believed to be about 5 years old. Everett said there was no evidence it had ever bitten or attacked anyone before. - The Lima News
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Ohio Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
02/07/10: Tom Skeldon, the 'Biased' Blade and Recent Ruling Halting Enforcement...
11/21/09: The Resignation of Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon
Well…That didn't take long!
Just a month after the dupes in the legislature and the Governor fell for the schtick from the Pit Bull Lobby…
Get ready Ohio…INCOMING!!!!
Autopsy Complete; "Crushing injuries to the skull consistent with Dog Bite":
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47474336
Way to go Nutters!
Another predictable mauling and another showing by the despicable Toledo Blade.
"One can only imagine the editorial meeting debating if they should or should not reveal the dog breed."
So true. I think they had to have another debate after commenters began commenting on that fact.
I don't think you could even call that dog a "pit mix." That's a pit, through and through.
Yeah, that is a pit bull mixed with another pit bull.
My guess is that the Blade pulled the story of the mauling death of a 3 day old infant, killed by a pit mix because they were also running another pit bull feature. The second article was a notice of a celebration of HB14, with awards to the perpitrator of the bill, Representative Barbara Sears. It IS in bad taste to run both stories simultaneously. Motive not considered, it was a kindness for the Blade to remove the story. There were hundreds of comments, many of them from breed specific advocates absolutely crucifying the young mother. In a head spinning turn around from the "nanny dog" myth to demands for the family to be charged with negligence because the mother had left the baby in the living room and stepped into the kitchen. My guess is the she went to get a bottle or rinse one out, or get a drink of water, some absolutely normal activity. In my house, the living room is five steps from the refrigerator, three more steps to the kitchen sink. Pit bull advocacy screamed that "the family is completely at fault" "nobody should ever leave a baby alone with a dog" "the poor dog must have been jealous" "the baby was in a swing, who puts a baby in a swing?" (answer… somebody that bought an infant swing, but I digress). The assault on this family was shameless. The passage of HB 14 will encourage the placement of more of these dogs with families who have been assured the the dogs are perfectly safe, "just like any other dog." This sad death is the first since passage of the law that deregulates pit bulls but I'm afraid that there will be more deaths and more life changing maulings. Every bit of news on HB 14 lists Barbara Sears name in the first paragraph. This will be her legacy, I hope she sleeps well at night.
Packhorse,
I am thinking the same thing. How the hell is the a "pit mix"? It's a PIT BULL.
Yep, how is the a "pit mix", that's a PIT BULL.
I think the newspaper's agenda was clear when they posted this article on 04/19/2012
BADRAP forum addresses myths about 'pit bulls'
Enthusiasts praise nonprofit's talk as educational
BY TANYA IRWIN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
A comment from the article states:
"BADRAP, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that has focused on "pit bull" issues for 13 years."
—–
You'd have thought if they were working so closely with "pit bull" problem, the problem would be so diminished, it would barely be noticeable.
Instead, there are pit bull attacks every day in the US. Some victims live, some die.
I think they're too busy "educating" and not really fixing the problem. They only look to divert attention and placate people.
Didn't this "tragic accident" happen less than 24 hours after Cincinnati repealed its pit bull ban?
I personally hope some parent files a liability claim against those who have spread this Nanny Dog shit — be it a shelter, be it a politician, be it Ian Dunbar (et al) themselves.
Please keep in mind that Darla Napora was a proud and vocal BADRAP member. If Reynolds can't "educate" the members of her own organization well enough to keep them from being mauled to death in their own homes, what value can there be in the education they provide to Toledo residents and Animal Control officers?
Enough with this education already. It's obvious that it hasn't worked. What we need are some other "ation" words like "registration" and "legislation."
Update:
Misunderstood Nanny-dog Euthanized:
http://www.limaohio.com/news/dog-84294-infant-euthanized.html
US PITICIDE 336
Happy Open Mauling Season Ohio!
The Blade has a long history of complaints about corruption, and links to extremist lobbying groups like the extremist farm industry (breeders and dog fighters) and Rick Berman animal profiteer clients.
(The puppy mill industry is also huge in Ohio.)
Will Ledy Van Kavage and Best Friends Animal Society and Van Kavage's other employer Jane Saul Berkey recompense the human and animal victims now that they and the corrupt pit bull breeder industry have opened up the flood gates in Ohio for the vicious dog breeders and dog fighting? Will Rick Berman and his clients recompense their victims?
Everyone must remember that Ledy Van Kavage (representing Saul Berkey) and Best Friends Animal Society held "candlelight vigils" for pit bulls right along with DOG FIGHTERS wearing their kennel insignia!
The dog fighting industry was hardcore and big money in Ohio, hence the law, which is why the dog fighter and breeder lobbyists wanted the law overturned. All about the money. The blood will now start running regularly.
Canine overpopulation will explode, and then Best Friends and the other no kill scamsters will blame the shelter workers trying to cope with the surplus from the dog fighting industry and backyard breeders that Best Friends enabled.
Corrupt legislators are easily bought with the profits of organized crime.
Victims will suffer and be blamed, then ignored.
The taxpayer will foot the bill for the criminals.
My next neighbors told me their 5 year old graddaughter who was playing in the backyard of these children just before the family moved out was attacked by the animal. She was just standing in these people’s yard, playing with their children; minding her own business, when Hercules jumped her from behind and began humping her. The terrified little girl managed to shake the dog off; ran to a fence dividing the yard and climbed over it before the animal could do much more.
A few days later she was playing with the kids again and Hercules came toward her. She ran and the dog pursued her. She couldn't get over the fence and her grandmother couldn't lift her out. The dog jumped her as she was trying go get away. However, the grandmother managed to get a chair over the fence and the little girl used it to climb out of the yard. This time Hercules left scratches on the child’s shoulders and legs, Needless to say she was quite shaken.
I don’t know exactly where this family went. My neighbors say they moved up into the Point Place area of Toledo. It is good they have an open case with children’s services who, hopefully, will keep track on them. But I’m sure, should a tragedy happen and Hercules seriously injures or kills one or more of those small children, the Blade will probably not report it – unless Hercules takes out all five. Oh . . . one thing I forgot . . . the reason the family had no money to pay rent was because the man used the rent money, according to my neighbor, to buy Hercules.