2 dogs kill child, 6, in Fanning Springs, Levy officials say

^{Ocala.com – Staff report – Published: Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 11:52 a.m}

Joel Chirieleison

FANNING SPRINGS — The 6-year-old boy had played many times with his family’s two pit bulls, authorities said, but on Thursday morning the two dogs turned on him and killed him outside a Fanning Springs home.

The boy’s name and address, as well as that of his family, were being withheld Thursday pending notification of his mother, said Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum, who gave this account:

The boy’s father has custody of the boy, and the boy’s aunt had driven the father to work Thursday morning before taking the youngster back to the home she shared with the boy’s grandfather.

Once there, she let the boy go outside to play, and the two dogs followed him out. The sheriff described this as routine.

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Child Dies After Being Attacked By Two Dogs

She let him go outside to play and two of her pit-bull dogs went out shortly after.When she went out to check on him she found him laying unconscious in the driveway.

Deputies say the child had injuries consistent with being attacked by a dog or dogs.

Sheriff Bobby McCallum says the boy had been around the dogs for about a month, so they were familiar with him.

McCallum says one possible theory is that the dogs were fighting or playing with each other and somehow the child tried to separate them and got entangled, but it’s pure speculation at this point.

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Funeral for Joel Chirieleison

6 year old Joel Chirieleison was killed August 7th 2014 by two pit bulls in Florida. The immediate family is in dire need of support both emotionally and financially. Please help us raise the funds to pay for little Joel’s final farewell.

GoFundme: http://www.gofundme.com/cry5l0

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Boy killed in dog attack is identified

^{By Sean Stewart-Muniz – Correspondent – Published: Friday, August 8, 2014 at 3:45 p.m.}

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the 6-year-old boy who was attacked and killed by two pit bulls at his aunt’s home just outside of Fanning Springs Thursday.

Meantime, the two dogs involved in the attack were scheduled to be euthanized by Levy County Animal Control Friday afternoon, authorities said.

Joel Chirieleison, the son of Joel Claar and Kristy Chirieleison, had been staying at his aunt’s house while his father was at work.

The 6-year-old’s aunt, Heather Claar, dropped his father off at work Thursday morning and took Joel to her home at 7297 NW 162nd St. to keep an eye on him — an arrangement that had been going on for weeks, said Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum.

Heather Claar let Joel outside to play, and her two pit bulls followed. She had owned the dogs for two years and hadn’t had a problem with them prior to the attack, authorities said.

While Claar was inside watching TV, the dogs attacked Joel, sheriff’s authorities said. Joel died on the driveway outside his aunt’s home, authorities added.

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Child Death Investigation

August 7, 2014

On August 7, 2014 at approximately 8:30 AM, Deputies from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Fanning Springs area of Levy County to the report of a child being injured by multiple dogs. When Deputies and Levy County Department of Public Safety personnel arrived they discovered a 6 year old male child deceased. The child had injuries consistent with being attacked by a dog or dogs.

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The APBT is of medium intelligence, and it is athletic. They have plenty of energy and exuberance for life. They are affectionate companions are often referred to as a “nanny dog”, which leads many families to believe that they are suitable companions for children. Many can live happily with children and never have an issue, but there are many cases of the family pit bull suddenly attacking or killing a child in the household. The Pit Bull advocacy group BADRAP recently retracted their original “nanny dog” statements (https://www.facebook.com/BADRAP.org/posts/10151460774472399 )¹³. In 2013, in the United States, 16 children were killed by Pit Bulls and their mixes. Most of these children were killed by family pet pit bulls that had never been neglected or abused and had always loved the child. As with all breeds, the traits needed for their original tasks remain in the dogs – in this case, the sudden explosive aggression that was necessary to survive in the fighting pit. An APBT may never show this aggression, but if it does there will be no warning and the attack will not be easy to stop. Extreme caution should always be taken when this breed interacts with children. They are fun loving dogs that have “clownish” behaviors. Despite, their many positive qualities, this breed may not be suitable for everyone. Their high energy requires a family that can accommodate and appreciate this aspect of their personality. They usually do best with active families. Many American Pit Bull Terriers get calmer as they age and an older dog may work for a more reserved family.