Infant Carter Settles was fatally attacked by a family pit bull in Norwich, Connecticut.
Infant Identified
UPDATE 05/11/21: Police have identified an infant killed by a family dog on Monday as Carter Settles. The baby was being held by a family member when "the dog jumped up on the adult family member and began biting Carter," Norwich police Lt. John Perry said. Hours after the baby's death, police said the boy's father, Timothy Settles, was the last person seen before a fire damaged a New London home. Settles is currently a person of interest in the early morning arson.
Norwich police said the family dog was a male pit bull-mix. "At this time in the investigation, we are unable to determine how long the family had the dog and how old the dog is," Perry said. The infant suffered multiple traumatic injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time of the attack, the baby was in the home with his mother and paternal grandmother. His father was not present. Police have not indicated any possible motives behind the New London blaze.
Earlier, we reported that in September 2020, Timothy Settles was charged with multiple crimes while residing on McKinley Avenue. The Day examined those charges today. Settles was arrested in an assault on a pregnant woman living there. The victim told police that Settles had lured her home from work by falsely claiming their apartment was on fire. Settles pleaded guilty to assault and interfering with police. Last night, Settles' son was killed by a dog at the McKinley location.
The report said police responded to a call about a disturbance in the back of Settles’ residence on Sept. 19. The pregnant victim told police that Settles had lured her home from work by falsely claiming their apartment was on fire.
The woman said their argument turned physical, when he began hitting her on the head and scratching her neck, according to the report. Police identified bruising to the woman’s forehead and a laceration to the back of her neck.
Police said Settles resisted when officers tried to put him in handcuffs. It took three officers to handcuff his hands in front of his body, as he was on the ground on his back, the report said. He was unable to be processed due to his "irate behavior" and was placed in a holding cell at Norwich Police Department. He was read his rights, fingerprinted and photographed the next day. - The Day, May 11, 2021
Settles no longer resides at the apartment on McKinley Avenue. It has not been established if Settles had connections to the property on Rosemary Street, where he was seen just before a fire broke out at 4:00 am Tuesday morning. Settles remains at large following the New London fire. New London officials still have not released details about how the fire was started, only that the fire is being investigated as arson and that they are seeking Settles as a person of interest.
05/11/21: Infant Killed by Family Dog
Norwich, CT - A 1-month old baby has died after being attacked by a family dog. Officers were dispatched to a multifamily residence in the 100 block of McKinley Avenue about 8:40 pm for a report of a dog attack. Arriving officers found the newborn baby injured by the dog. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene. Police described the dog as a pit bull-mix. Police have been providing support and counseling to the family and the officers who responded to the scene.
Last year, a number of infants were killed by family dogs. Eight infants, ages 4 weeks to 7 months old, died after being attacked by a dog. Family pit bulls were responsible for half of these deaths. Three breeds were responsible for 3 deaths, American bulldog-mix (1), Belgian malinois (1) and German shepherd-mix (1), and one death that occurred in military housing did not release breed data. One parent was criminally charged and pleaded guilty to one count of felony neglect.
No fatal dog attacks have been reported in the state of Connecticut since 2019, when a rescue pit bull belonging to Annie Hornish, the Connecticut senior state director of the Human Society of the United States, killed a 95-year old woman by inflicting a Level 6 bite. After the attack, Hornish falsely claimed the elderly victim, Janet D'Aleo, had died due to "falling." In January 2021, the estate of D'Aleo reached a $2 million dollar settlement against Hornish and her husband.
Mid Morning Updates
Fox 61 reports that a fire at a New London home Tuesday morning that sent one person to the hospital with injuries may be linked to the newborn's mauling death. New London Fire responded to a 2-alarm fire on Rosemary Street at about 4:00 am Tuesday. A woman was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. New London police say they are looking for 32-year old Timothy Settles as a person of interest to be questioned with respect to the arson investigation.
Settles is the father of the infant who was killed by the dog, according to New London Police Chief Peter Reichard. WFSB is is at the scene of the New London house fire. The fire was started on the front porch. Persons living on the first floor were not home at the time. All persons living upstairs were able to exit the home. Fire "opened up the roof" of the home to put out the fire. Settles was the last person seen at the home before the fire was started. No warrants have been issued.
According to The Day, Timothy Settles, 32, of 36 McKinley Avenue, Norwich was charged with disorderly conduct, third degree assault and interfering with police back in September 2020. 36 McKinley Avenue is the location of the fatal dog mauling Monday night. On Tuesday, a dog trained in detecting accelerants was called to the scene of the arson. The two-story home appears to have suffered significant damage. Multiple windows were blown out and extensive charring was seen.
The Courant provided an update on the dog attack. "We don’t have any information to let us know why the dog did what he did," Norwich Lt. Anthony Gomes said. "It was reported to be without warning." Two adults witnessed the attack, he said. It wasn’t clear if Settles was one of them. "Unfortunately, because of the nature of the incident we haven’t been able to talk to the mother. She is distraught," Gomes said Tuesday. Meanwhile, New London police are looking for Settles.
An arson at a New London home maybe connected to a dog attack that killed an infant boy.
A black pit bull seen on the mother's Facebook page -- a neighbor said the pit bull was black.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Connecticut Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
01/13/21: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Woman Dies After Dog Attack in Suffield, Connecticut
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.
When dangerous breed canines behave the way they are genetically supposed to behave, most people are surprised. However, when this happens, some people are not surprised. Why? Because there are some people who are not in deep denial about dangerous breed canines. When, in a society, most people are antisocial and only a few people are not antisocial, the ones who do have antisocial personality disorder appear to be the normal ones, and the ones who are pro social appear to be the ones that are overly fearful about the tragic proliferation of dangerous breed canines. People who love their family and who love their neighbor do not force dangerous canines upon their families and their neighbors. Instead, people who love their family and love their neighbor will choose a dog that cannot and will not severely maul family or neighbor.
You are 1,000,000% correct, I asked, begged, and pleaded for Carter’s mother to get rid of this vile disgusting creature before my Grandson even entered this world. All I received was sarcasm, opposition and reassurances this filthy thing “was a perfect angel”, he was Carter’s mothers “baby”. When you have a REAL BABY, EVERYTHING changes in your life for the safety and sake of your child. NO DOG belongs around a child, must less an unpredictable, inherently dangerous dog breed like a Pitbull. The fact that my beautiful Grandson was murdered by her land shark filthy dog that I begged for them to get rid pains me throughout my body. At the end of the day she chose a demonic, despicable, filthy creature OVER my beautiful Grandson, and with that decision has brought nothing but pure and utter devastation TO ALL OF US. Why? Was it worth it?
THESE PITLOVERS ARE JUST AS DISGUSTING AS THOSE DEMON CREATURES THEY LOVE.
The gapping hole the death of Carter has left in our family’s heart is indescribable. Never in my life have I ever experienced this type of pain and anguish, it’s double BECAUSE THIS WAS AVOIDABLE just by simply listening.
Forgot to mention this demon “shotta” bit my son, yet her family continues this lie the dog NEVER showed aggression when I have been in contact with someone who lived in the building and she clearly told me the dog would try to lunge at her kids. Nothing but denial and lies.
How many innocent beautiful babies/ children have to die because people are in denial and ignorant about these vile creatures?
What was wrong with a nice little fish tank/ aquarium with nice lights, so my Grandson could’ve watched the lights and fish float around? No insecure jackasses have to look like a bad ass by possessing one of these land sharks. Why bring an innocent baby around a filthy stinking beast?
For what?
Sorry for your loss. If the dog had been aggressive in the past, that should have been enough for her to get rid of it. I am a mom, and have had labs that passed of old age, and weener dogs. There are dogs that are safer with kids, and pit bulls aren’t it. I also own cats. Who ever heard of a cat mauling a baby? No one
What the? Is it possible the inhabitants of the house he tried to burn down were the breeders/prior owners of the dog that killed the baby boy? When I look at the multiunit I see a building that appears to be Section 8 government housing. The whole neighborhood looks like Section 8 rentals. If that is the case, I would have to ask why is a dog in the unit?
Hello Christy my name is Madison I am the aunt of Carter Settles, as to the house that was burnt down it was not the owner of the dog or breeder. It was my sisters (mother of Carter) best friends house.
Why was the house torched? What was the arsonist hiding?
Why did an innocent baby have to die?
So the father of the kid killed by the pit had been criminally charged before for lying about a fire to get a woman “baby momma?” to meet up with him.
Now his son is dead and he was the last person seen before a real arson.
Is that what is being alleged?
I have read it 3 times and I’m still not sure.
What is that statistic about pit bull owners being more likely to have criminal convictions?
It seems to be accurate this time.
I can not understand how the police and other emergency workers are confused by this.
Pits kill.
This wasn’t the only pit kill of the day.
It wasn’t that log ago yet another pit killed an elderly woman in Connecticut.
BTW Father time seems to have really taken a bat to Connecticut. Lets just say the stories I found online investigating this one were not flattering.
The father of the baby is my son, HE WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN THE SOG ATTACKED MY GRANDSON. He is also not guilty of setting any fires. There was a previous incident involving my Grandson’s Mom before Carter was born. Again no fires was started it was an argument. People argue everyday, my son is sick about the death of his son as is my entire family. Please don’t speculate. My son was not in the home living there that is at the time this demon creature attacked my Grandson. My son is NOT A DOG PERSON AS I DIDNT RAISE HIMA AROUND ANY TYPE OF PETS. The dog belonged to his girlfriend she had him for 8 years, my son has only been with her a year and a half, the demon dog also bit my son, you would think that would’ve been enough for her to get rid of this thing, nope she refused to get rid of it, although I begged, and pleaded for her to. She told me “that was her baby” with no regard for her real baby my beautiful Grandson Carter.
Sheila, I am so sorry that your family has suffered this terrible and needless loss. It is so sad and infuriating that your sweet grandson was born to a woman who chose a dog over her own child. She deliberately placed more value on her dog than on the very child she birthed. This should never have happened and my heart absolutely breaks for your loss. I hope that your voice of experience and loss will be heard by those who would listen, and that those who hear might make a better choice than Carter’s mother made. In this one way, Carter’s death may help prevent others from making a devestating and unalterable mistake.
I believe, young women are becoming a higher ‘statistic’ in canine homicide, each year (USA)… data gathered provides this proof, but when they bring young kids into their canine cult BS, sh*t changes… this type of disgusting dog (pitbull) maulings, is getting out of control. If just 75% of people chose a non- fighting breed, the death of humans from dog attack, would possibly/probably drop by 75% too!
Thank you for your supportive and encouraging words….the loss of my Grandson has left a gapping hole in my heart that only God can heal. His death was so avoidable had they listened when I pleaded for them to get rid of this thing she called a pet. He was a demonic murderous creature that had ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS around my Grandson or any other child, at the end of the day she chose this filthy vile creature over Carter, and that is what breaks my heart the most. She had 1 job, and that was to protect my Grandson by any means necessary and she failed miserably and because of her my beautiful precious Grandson paid with his life.you just don’t take risk and gamble with a helpless baby. Period.