A’Myrikal Jolynn Hull died after being bitten on the head by a "pocket bully."
Bull Breed Kills Baby
Springfield, IL - A 1-year old girl is dead after being bitten on the head by a pocket bully, which is a squat "designer" pit bull hybrid breed. The breed name is misleading, as these dogs can be quite large (weighty) due to their heavy muscular build. There is an "extreme" version as well. " The pocket bully variety, "is simply shorter than the standard American bully," according to the ABKC website, and "are not to be penalized for exhibiting heavily muscled, massive, bulky body type."
The attack occurred in the 800 block of Indiana Avenue. Family members said the baby got too close to the dog while it was eating from a food bowl. Two teenage uncles has to pry the dog off her, indicating the bite was far more disastrous than a bite-and-release. The attacker was a female pocket bull. Family members said the dog had no violent history with humans or other dogs. Family member Cory Painter said she was in disbelief. "The dog [has] never snapped before."
EMS rushed the baby to HSHS St. John’s Regional Trauma Center. She was pronounced dead at 9:26 pm. The Sangamon County Coroner, Jim Allmon, issued a statement confirming her death. An autopsy will be scheduled. The coroner's office and the Springfield Police Department are investigating her death. A GoFundMe identified the baby as A’Myrikal Jolynn Hull. "Unfortunately tragedy hit tonight! And she was attacked by the family pet of 4 years," states the fundraiser.
Last year, also in Illinois, there was significant media attention after a shorty bull, -- a "designer" bull breed unrecognized by the AKC and UKC -- attacked and killed its owner, 52-year old Lisa Urso. That dog had a history of aggression, including attacking her boyfriend twice in the weeks leading up to the fatal biting incident. Many newspaper headlines declared at the time that a "French bulldog" killed this able-bodied 52-year old female. Those headlines were inaccurate.
Suspected Dogs
One of the child's grandmothers is engaged to a man affiliated with "Antwaun Kang Kennels Readus," a Springfield-based pocket bully breeder. These two dogs are seen on her fiancé's page. Given their age of at least 4-years old, both are likely suspects. The fawn colored dog is a female.1 The sex of the tri-colored dog is also female. The grandmother commented on both dogs, "My baby," and "Mommy fur baby." It was reported the child's mother lived at her grandmother's home.
Suspected pocket bullies in the grandmother's household that are at least 4-years old.
Household Confirmed
As we suspected above, A’Myrikal lived with her grandmother Bobbie Jo Stengel (Bobbie Jo Franklin on Facebook), according to a report by The State-Journal Register. Stengel is also the child's guardian. Cory Painter, who organized the child's fundraiser, told the Register the dog's behavior was out of character. "The baby walked by the dog as she was eating and reached for her food," Painter said. "This is nothing new. The dog would eat snacks out of the baby's hand."
However, on Thursday, the dog latched onto her head and would not let go. The child's two teenage uncle's had to pry the dog off of her.
Painter has known Stengel for 17 years and lives close by. The two share a 6-year old grandson, who witnessed the violent attack on his younger sister. The boy is now staying with Painter. She said he did not sleep after the attack and believes that counseling would be beneficial. "He doesn't understand all of this," Painter said. "So I think that getting him the right kind of help immediately is going to be very important." The dog is currently being held by Sangamon County Animal Control.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Illinois Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
01/03/21: Baby Dies New Years Eve After Man Reports Finding Dog on Top of Her in Dayton, Ohio
05/12/20: 2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Found Mutilated and Dead After Attack by Own Dogs
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.
The first time that any dog is aggressive is preceded by a time that it had never been so before. This is why a statement attesting to the fact that the dog was never aggressive is totally useless. All dangerous canines are dangerous canines. All of them. At every single moment. Every single one of them. The first time that something that is capable of doing that thing, does that thing, should not be met with surprise. After all, it was capable of doing that thing. Therefore, when an animal that is capable of killing babies and maiming people does so for the first time, why the surprise? Answer: Because it is a cover to avoid legal liability. This child’s parents allowed a dangerous species of animal to physically access their child, and to kill their child. Therefore, they should be imprisoned for life. Of course.
What were they thinking? Something like this: “If my dangerous canine kills my baby, I can successfully claim ignorance to avoid prison”.
This, Richard, is why I hope that this website is frequently used as an information source. Especially for personal injury attorneys and for prosecuting attorneys.
We’re long past the time when ANYONE can successfully claim ignorance.
Every serial killer has a first victim.
The audacity to start a GoFundMe in this situation!!! Do do not deserve sympathy or money! This dead child is where my compassion lies. It is this family’s fault this happened. Their choice of a squatty pit bull as a pet is the reason they are in this situation.
And, no, that is not true that this 4-year-old dog has not shown aggression before. Clearly, the way they describe this attack shows food aggression and that doesn’t just magically appear at the age of 4. This child was also living with her grandmother. Anyone wanna bet that the so-called mom or so-called dad dropped her off at the home and that the dog was also a drop-off for grandma to take care of?
I stand corrected. This dog was not a drop-off, it was part of a breeding opperation.
Food aggression is a very obvious indicator for any aggression. I would never own a pet with food aggression because of its potential to attack you. If I can’t trust them at any given time including moving their food bowl while eating, I would not trust them around my kids.
While there are always exceptions….behind most irresponsible adults, are the irresponsible parents who raised them. It is not surprising, that these grandparents who didn’t raise their child to be a responsible adult, have irresponsibly let the grandchild in their care be killed.
When will people stop this madness?! Pit bulls are not family dogs! A family dog isn’t going to chomp down on a toddler’s head for being “too close” to a food bowl. This poor little girl had to pay the price at only one year old because of this lie that bully breeds are suitable family pets.
Exactly! You hit the nail on the head! So tired of seeing children die because people truly believe that these are family dogs. It is a joke! People keep breeding these abominations and creating even worse abominations just because they think it is cool. Makes me sick! I can just see it now,all the bully lovers are probably blaming the baby even though she was only 1 year old! The whole thing is just downright disgusting and i firmly believe that ALL bully breed owners should get prison time if their abomination murders someone or their pet! Enough is enough!
I am a veterinarian. I have learned through experience what monsters these dogs are and how quick they are to kill.
Many veterinarians adore and gush over these monsters. I am so fed up.
Their numbers are increasing to where I see as many pit bulls in practice as I see beagles, which is terrifying. I have stopped seeing intact pits, dogos, mastiffs- I feel like I am just helping breeders.
What else can I do? I try to speak out, especially to families with children. I am labeled racist towards dogs and attacked on social media. I want to make a difference but I have no idea how to do this.
I am starting to hate my profession.
You can’t be dog “racist” because dogs have no race. You can only be a “breedist” if there is such a thing.
By refusing to treat dangerous dogs you *are* doing something…you’re publicly announcing “I care about my staff, myself, and the other dogs in my waiting room more than I care about dog breeds that have been bred to hurt them”
Some of the world just hasn’t caught up with your moral stance, yet.
Integrity. Good for you.
I read a post once where a vet clinic saw bully breeds on the same day and I thought that was a great idea. If you have to or want to treat those breeds, at least have them all show up on the same day so people with normal pets aren’t put in jeopardy in the waiting room.
If I were a vet, I wouldn’t want to treat them either, for fear of injury to myself and my staff. You have my sympathy, we are living in clown world where someone can be called a “dog racist.”
Maybe you could write an article for this site?
Let’s let the grandma and her pit pusher boyfriend/fiancé pay for this funeral. This was entirely their fault. They chose to ignore the evidence that these animals are dangerous! Is this another case of “lion tamer syndrome” or were they just calculating the odds? Doesn’t matter, they are entirely at fault. Rest In Peace little girl, you were just born into a home that didn’t appreciate all you were or could become. I’m sorry. We would have loved and protected you.
It is so sad. No matter what we tell these pit pushers they ignore us and then something like this happens and they act surprised. “Eye roll” They know exactly what they are doing and they are not fooling us at all! They just don’t care! They should be charged with murder imo and the murdering dog pts!
I agree. They were breeding the dogs for money. They can pay for the funeral. They should also face consequences for failing to take care of the child.
Report the go fund me page …. I just did.
This is like killing your own child and the beg for money…..THIS NEEDS TO STOP 🛑
This wasn’t a accident….this was ignorance and WILLFUL ENDANGERMENT of a child….this was MANSLAUGHTER and ppl like this need to be barred from starting ANY FUNDRAISING of any sort !
I agree fully! They make the mistake of getting a bully breed to bring arounf their baby knowing the dangers they present,but they will play it out like they didn’t know and i call bs on that! I to will go and report the page because they don’t deserve that money at all! Your right they and they alone are fully responsible for their child!
Done!
They raised above their goal. What’s more maddening about this is the price these repulsive dogs go for; the “breeder” could pay for the funeral with the sale of a couple of his pocket toads.
So, this ‘pocket bully’ was a family member for 3 years, then came along a baby who lasted 1 year…this means the dog did not respect it’s adult owner(s) enough and thought it’s ok to kill very young members of the household, idiots who suggest ‘it’s how you raise them’ well this shuts down that argument, I can imagine this dog was registered, vaccinated, wormed, vet checked etc. but very spoilt! You shouldn’t have to train your dog, to not kill people, ugh! So many great breeds, why choose a dog that can and DO kill innocent people?
It’s unreal that after 40 years of ever increasing pit bull fatalities anyone can still be shocked that a pit does what it’s been bred for centuries to do, a real statement to the power of propaganda. People never learn. And why someone would want a pit at all much less such an ugly and deformed style is beyond me.
So grandma and her boyfriend were breeding the deformed pit bulls? If they were breeders they probably knew full and well what these things were capable of. The monsters never should have been allowed near the child. These people belong in jail.
Here’s the new question. Is grandma still engaged to deformed pit breeders cousin. Or did this horrendous event enlighten her. Did she, did they both, wake up to the fact that they are DIRECTLY responsible for the death of this tiny girl. I’m pretty sure I would not be able to live with the guilt.
I met a man yesterday who bred pit bulls for ten years. He no longer does. I think he’s the first pit bull breeder I have ever met that was truthful. He said pit bulls are not pets and that people got them for the wrong reasons.
He stated that too many people took pit bulls home because they liked them and didn’t plan on dealing with the aggression and temperament problems in the breed. One of his friend’s pit bulls killed a horse. Once the pit bulls start showing their true temperaments, they go to the shelters or are dumped.
Can you imagine shelters and pit bull rescues telling the truth about these dogs?
It would be interesting to know whether this really was the first time this dog had shown aggression. Actually, I’m sure it was. Baring teeth, lunging, biting, and snarling are simply nice ways for pit bulls to express their feelings. After all, they are not fluent in the English language.
Did the owners ignore the dog’s aggression? In my experience, food aggression generally starts much earlier in life. What kind of food was there? Delicious bones? Meat? Generic dry dog food? A baby should never have died this way.
Exactly Rachel. The lying needs to stop. Dog men know what pitbulls are capable, of. It can’t be “trained” out of them as it’s genetic.
Can you imagine the headlines…”Spaniel eats baby who is filling its dog bowl?”
Yeah…not really.
On top of that…why is that baby anywhere near the dog’s bowl? Even with other powerful breeds, you train the dog to not guard food then feed it in a quiet space.
The level of stupidity of pitbull owners never fails to astonish me. They refuse to even treat them as large, powerful dogs even if we deny the genetics angle.
These pit bull stories are just horrible.
If you have a dog breed that can kill a horse or in one case, BITE THE HEAD OFF A BABY, or kill a grown man or woman, they have no place in society.
I can’t believe they let those dogs anywhere near a toddler…
Two babies in one week. When will people realize that pit bulls were never meant to be pets.
Colleen, thank you for such in depth and accurate reporting. This killer dog was treated like royalty by the owners and it still killed a child. Once again, pit bull advocates themselves prove that it’s NOT just how pit bulls are raised. Plus, there’s so much about this case that shows the mindset which causes a lot of the overbreeding of pit bulls. I hope people are paying attention.
Heartbreaking, as always. Pit bulls, and any animal that can so easily (and unpredictably) kill an adult, much more so a child, should never be a household pet. This particular tragedy is that far from where I live, and of course in the local social media, tons of pit bull apologists blaming it on the parents/grandparents and claiming the dog is not to blame. Well yeah, the dog is one sense can’t be blamed for doing what it was specifically bred to do–kill. Yes, the parents/grandparents are to blame for not knowing better. Ultimately, it is the pit bull apologists fault, for their continual lies about the sweetness of this breed.
The dog’s behavior is due to its genes that people selectively bred for. Then people with these dogs have to be vigilant in preventing these dogs from attacking. They simply aren’t.
Other breeds, even if they have food aggression issues make due with a single snap. Not killing a kid. Even lions manage to deal with event bratty young without killing them. This one is actually funny. 🙂
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=male+lion+and+cub+squabble+food&docid=608014060326251181&mid=8563FF7E17DC0FF1EA3E8563FF7E17DC0FF1EA3E&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
An Old English sheepdog killed a Yorkie in one bite guarding its food bowl. Lung under the skin. I was surprised at this attack. Although I’ve seen a vicious OED, most are nice dogs. This dog was fine in the clinic. Would it have killed a child too?
It might have…since the dog was seriously aggressive through either a lack of training and likely, the inability of the owners to believe an OED might be mentally/temperamentally unsuited to be a companion or might be dog aggressive.
Your point is “surprise”. Surprise happens when a breed or type of dog is generally known as a good companion dog and when, in a rare incident, a specific breed/dog type, turns out to be vicious.
Nobody is “surprised” when an alligator or a tiger or a pitbull eats babies, grannies, other dogs, horses, cows or even their owners.
Only with pitbulls do the cultists crawl out of the woodwork to blame the victims of the attack for behaving in a way that most sensible people–have already figured is commonplace.
You probably.have not seen this, but I’ve seen two golden retrievers turn vicious because of corticosteroids. These dogs have to be isolated for safety reasons and the drug withdrawn.
By the way, the local no-kill shelter in my county is moving into a new $12,000,000 shelter. It will likely be turned into a pit bull sanctuary. The activists gripe about anyone charging any money for dogs except them. The twelve million dollar facility lwill be open to the public in one week. I will be checking it out. The organization.is dishonest, as they defied a court order signed by a judge and did not tell the judge in court that they had gotten rid of the animals. The judge ordered the animals to be returned to the owner, but the animals were gone.
What a surprise, a COVID denier as well as a delusional pitbulls are nanny dogs believer. There are laws against convicted criminals profiting from their crimes, and it should be the same here. GoFundMe profits raised should go to victims, not the perpetrators of the crime.
I don’t know if they had pulled this before or not.
Same style marketing as the fighting dogs. I guess they only fight these short mutants against another one?
A full sized pit would eviscerate one of these.
https://www.facebook.com/antwaun.readus/photos/pcb.805658236174506/805658019507861/
More marketing.
https://www.voofla.com/US/Springfield/710619259011738/Antwaun-Kang-Kennels-Readus