A pet husky attacked, killed a newborn while he slept in his crib in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Husky Kills Infant
Knoxville, TN - An infant is dead after being bitten on the head by a pet husky. Ezra Mansoor, 6-weeks old, passed away Thursday. The attack occurred on May 24 while the infant was sleeping in a crib. "Ezra was just asleep in his crib -- not crying or anything. And she just attacked out of nowhere," the baby's mother, Chloe Mansoor said. The 8-year old female husky is being held in a bite quarantine at the Young-Williams Animal Center. Chole said the dog had not shown aggression in the past.
A GoFundMe created four days ago states, "On Friday, May 24th, Mark and Chloe’s son Ezra was the victim of a dog attack and is in critical condition at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. He is currently intubated and sedated with life-threatening injuries, the most serious being a brain bleed and brain swelling. Ezra is only 6.5 weeks old and his parents are completely devastated." Yesterday, the fund announced the baby's death. The infant's organs were donated to other children.
The mother also stated, "It could be any dog at any time." However, apparently no one warned the young parents about the track record of huskies killing newborns and infants by biting them on the head, specifically when the infant is lying in a crib or bassinet, and specifically when the infant is sleeping. Ezra's death marks the third husky-inflicted infant death this year. Brayden Heery, of Milford, Connecticut, was 2-weeks old. Amaya Carmack, of Greenville, Tennessee, was 4-days old.
Husky-Inflicted Infant Deaths
Despite huskies being infrequently involved in fatal dog maulings in the U.S., they are still among the top killing dog breeds, and they still disproportionately kill infants. From 2005 to present, we've recorded approximately 760 dog bite fatalities. Huskies have been involved in 20 of these deaths, 2.6%. Of the husky victims, 65% (13 of 20) were infants ≤11 months old and 90% (18) were ages ≤5 years old. The two adult deaths involved a multi-breed attack, each involving at least one pit bull.
Of the 13 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 92% (12) have information about the victim's surroundings. 10 deaths, 83%, involved the infant lying in a bassinet, baby carrier, crib or inside a playpen at the time. 2 deaths, 17%, involved the baby "resting in a bedroom." At least 11 of the 13 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 85%, involved the infant sleeping at the time. Presumably, the infant was not crying or emitting any sounds. Further, one of the infant's parents is typically close by, such as in the next room.
Breed-Specific Traits
Over the 19-year period of 2005-2023, infant killings (≤11 months old) among the other top-killing dog breeds -- pit bulls, rottweilers, mixed-breeds, German shepherds, mastiff/bullmastiff, and American bulldogs -- ranges from 2% to 21% of their victims. The husky percentage of infant killings, 65%, is quite high in comparison. Only 8% of pit bull victims are infants; only 14% of rottweiler victims are infants. Most of the 13 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 85% (11), are neonates too (≤1 month old).
An 8-year old female husky killed a newborn baby boy as he slept inside his crib.
Related articles:
05/14/24: 2024 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Day Old Newborn Dead After 'Dog Bite' in Tennessee
02/24/24: 2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Newborn Dies After Being 'Bit by a Dog' in Connecticut
12/21/22: 2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Newborn, 4-Days Old, Killed by Pet Husky in Arkansas
07/09/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Sleeping Infant Killed by Family Husky in Georgia
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.
Dear Lord. Another one. Huskies need to come with a warning label for parents.
I’m now telling people online who are acting like a fool regarding dogs and kids that ‘you are on notice that you are being told by an expert you are putting this child in harms way and if something happens you are going down for MURDER , needless to say i’m not making loads of friends , more like mobs calling me ;crazy;
I’m sure in your social circle that you too know of people who are as meek and gentle as a newborn kitten suddenly transform into a raging Tazmanian devil whenever the subject of dog control is brought up.
The mere mention of the word “pt bull” recently in a conversation turned an otherwise Prince Valium into Donald Sutherland at the end of “Invasion Of The Body Snatchers”.
Reason and rational thought have run over the ridge line and left nothing but a doggie paradise behind.
If it weren’t for the occasional accident where “It could happen with any dog at any time”, this place would be a utopia.
We’re getting there.
When I’ve sold GSD puppies to young couples, I’ve always told them to never leave any baby unattended with any dog for any reason. All of these young people have told me they understood. Yet we still have babies dying needlessly. Both the baby and the dog die for a stupid reason. Carelessness.
What happened to common sense? Huskies kill infants.
Rachel, you are the problem.
If it not pitbull killing babies or young children it huskies.I wonder if people warn them that huskies don’t belong with children when they got her.i wonder if Chloe is telling the truth or lying.anyways it doesn’t matter if they’re 15 23 or 35 they should be aware dogs big or small shouldn’t be in room alone with infants especially pitbull and huskies.poor baby only lived for two weeks because his family dog end his life.
Bite quarantine? Why?
Put the dog down. Just put it down. Why waste the tax dollars on this killer?
I totally agree 👍
The 10-day hold checks the dog for rabies cheaply and easily. The CDC says that before 1960, several hundred Americans died of rabies each year.
https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/php/protecting-public-health/index.html
You are absolutely correct. A few people dying of rabies have not been identified as deaths due to rabies. The result has been organ transplants from rabid donors. People in the last group of rabid organ recipients have been saved with rabies vaccine.
Easier, cheaper, and more efficient to euthanize the dog and check the brain for rabies. No reason at all to wait around to see what might happen.
Likely because the infant was initially in critical care for several days before dying.
No matter how often it can be said, we need to keep saying it.
When your infant/toddler is sleeping and you own a dog, the dog should NOT be allowed in their bedroom and SHUT THE DOOR.
Dogs need to be trained to be calm and stay away from small children. It’s not even just biting. It takes very little for a dog to accidentally knock your kid down the stairs, into the edge of a coffee table, accidentally blind them with a toenail when jumping–the list of major injuries and death done to small children is extensive before we even start with biting risks.
You’re an exhausted parent, you are not alert and when your infant/toddler is sleeping may be the only moment in the day when you get some peace.
Dogs are opportunists. Don’t give them the opportunity.
No dogs in kids’ bedrooms. Stay Away training. Shut the doors.
Don’t have a husky with small children. Don’t get one if you plan on getting pregnant. You don’t need an exuberant, under-exercised sled dog with children.
You’re not Inuit and you aren’t going to cull out your sled dog pack puppies for potential problems or leave them outside sleeping in the snow during nap time.
Huskies are amazing animals but they’re bred to do a job and that job is not babysitter.
The advice of dog bite attorney Ken Phillips is good, if you want to have a dog around children it should be a dog that will be SMALL and GENTLE when mature.
This recommendation is fine, but remember the bones of such breeds as Chihuahua, miniature Pinscher, Papillon, Shih Tzu, etc. have bones so fine that dropping one from waist high can result in broken forelegs. Those fractures have to be surgically repaired. Maybe there are some breeds that are a bit bigger and can tolerate the antics of normal children. Collies are usually good with children.
Also Rachel:
Beagles and other soft hunting breeds are sturdier and tend towards being pretty kid tolerant. Setters and retrievers used to be common family breeds of choice. Can’t recall the last time I saw a setter.
They can take the odd tumble and weigh enough that toddlers aren’t picking them up.
There’s plenty of mid-range dogs for families.
Picking sled dogs, protection breeds and fighting dogs for their looks is about the dumbest decision a family can make.
huskies are notorious for being cat killers and cat killers aren’t good around infants
They are also cradle robbers.
I don’t know of any other breed so notorious for quickly sneaking in to a crib and crushing the baby’s head.
Seems like you shouldn’t get a Husky until everyone in your household has a skull too big to fit in the Husky’s mouth.
We certainly have been concerned about a rise in husky-inflicted infant deaths since the breed’s popularity surge due to Game of Thrones TV series (2011-2019). Also, a number of fatal dog attacks have been unreported by police/media since the onset of Covid. There could be 6+ newborn/infant deaths since 2020 that are not only unknown, but there is no way to capture the data either. Police did not release any information in this case, the parents just chose to speak to media. A family dog killing a newborn/infant is high on the list of police not issuing a press release due to privacy. There could have been multiple husky-inflicted infant deaths between 2020 and 2023, instead of just one reported case: https://blog.dogsbite.org/2022/12/newborn-killed-by-husky-in-cave-springs-arkansas.html
There was a case just recently where a husky/shepherd mix tore up the face of a 2 year old: https://www.wral.com/amp/21460017/
The parent in that case should be charged with reckless endangerment, lose her custody rights, and sent to prison. We are WAY past the point of giving dog owners (and their dogs) the benefit of the doubt. The fact that the dog was allowed to LIVE and be rehomed is infuriating.
That the owner did NOT have the dog juiced immediately just deepens the hole she is in.
Either arrest these people or flat out ban, with no exceptions, all breeds of murder mutts. Enough.
That so-called mother enrages me. There doesn’t appear to be a father or sane parent in the picture. That poor girl. The mom should be facing criminal charges, not getting sympathetic treatment by the media.
Correction to what I said before: the poor little girl who has major scarring on her face because of her negligent parent(s) has a fund page that mentions she has a loving father.
” We are WAY past the point of giving dog owners (and their dogs) the benefit of the doubt. The fact that the dog was allowed to LIVE and be rehomed is infuriating.”
THIS. Dogs and babies are not a good mix, in my opinion. I cannot imagine trusting a dog to be safe with an infant.
Belgian Malinois is not a husky or a German Shepard! Nor is it a mix of of these dogs! It’s a completely different breed and from the statistics that I’m seeing they’re more likely to be involved in serious injuries and deaths than either husky or German Shepard am I correct Colleen Lynn I’m sure you are able to answer this question? I do agree with you that the dog should be euthanized and that the parents were responsible. However, the situation with the foster care would simply traumatize the child more! Children who are removed from their parents usually suffer more. These parents can have help to make them better parents instead of inflicting more trauma on the child!
Okay that is blood boiling.
In what universe do kids NOT exist? No owner, no matter how responsible can foresee every possible future event. There’s no way that mother should be given any choice in the matter because clearly, her decision-making ability, is flawed.
That dog should have been put down.
Thank you for the breed correction. A Malinois tearing up a kid is somehow so much different than a husky tearing up a kid.
When I wrote Initial news reports indicated it was a husky / shepherd mix. That was later updated with photos to indicate it was a Malinois.
Belgian Malinois not Shepherd Husky
Yes, a Malinois. Certainly a breed known for and capable of killing. The 2 year old had over 200 sutures to the face and has horrific scarring over the entire face. The mother grinning while holding her healing daughter did not sit right with me. The WRAL tv station is the very same station the mom of the 7 year old Jayden Henderson, killed by the neighbor’s pit bulls, works for.
The Wake County animal shelter is directed by a propit, prodog veterinarian as it’s medical director. This dog should never have been given the opportunity to be rehomed by a rescue. Huge fail Raleigh, North Carolina.
When are we gonna get some pro-family, pro-people who are sensibly fond of dogs, with a crapton of old-fashioned logic… running the pounds, rescues and shelters for our hundred thousand per year?
Is that too big an ask?
(is there an inverse proportion of how much people get paid and the actual common sense they bring to the job?)
In Spokane recently we saw what happens when someone with common sense is in charge of the shelter: the dogs-first (people second or third) disgruntled shelter workers organize a letter writing campaign and the next thing you know, the city has stripped the shelter manager of their power to do the right thing.