7-year-old girl dies after dog attack in Garner, mother remains hospitalized
This story was updated April 29, 2021.
A 7-year-old girl died and her mother remains hospitalized after a dog attack Tuesday evening, Garner police reported.
The mother and daughter were helping care for their neighbors’ two pit bulls on Roan Drive while the owners were out of town. After one or both dogs attacked them in the neighbors’ backyard, they were taken by ambulance to WakeMed, the Garner Police Department posted on its Facebook page.
The girl has been identified as Jayden Belle Henderson, a first-grader at Vandora Springs Elementary, WRAL reports. She was the daughter of Heather Trevaskis, who works for WRAL as a master control operator.
Trevaskis was in stable condition Wednesday morning, Garner Police Capt. Lorie Smith said.
“She was such a wonderful, kind little girl, and her outgoing personality touched the lives of all of us around her,” according to a GoFundMe account friends set up to help the family. “She leaves behind a family who loves her immensely.”
As of Thursday morning, the site had received over $28,000 in donations from nearly 400 people.
“This is a horrible tragedy for all involved,” Garner Police Lt. Michael McIver said in the department’s Facebook post. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to both families and all those who responded.”
The cause of the attack is not known, according to police.
Both dogs were seized by Wake County Animal Control and taken to the Wake County Animal Shelter, where Garner Animal Control will decide next steps, WRAL reported.
4.5 million people bitten by dogs each year
The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually in the United States. More than 800,000 require medical attention, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Any dog can bite: big or small, male or female, young or old. Even the cuddliest, fuzziest, sweetest pet can bite if provoked,” the association states. “It is not a dog’s breed that determines whether it will bite, but rather the dog’s individual history and behavior.”
According to dogsbite.org, a public education website about dangerous dog breeds, there have been at least seven fatal dog bites this year so far nationwide. Last year, there were at least 46. Between 2005 and 2019, pit bulls accounted for two-thirds of the deaths reported in the United States, according to the website.
This story was originally published April 28, 2021 at 8:01 AM with the headline "7-year-old girl dies after dog attack in Garner, mother remains hospitalized."