A seven-month-old baby has been left with horrific injuries after being mauled by two pit bulls while in the care of a babysitter.
According to his grandfather, Dajuane Goode, 46, the Washington DC babysitter Semaj left with her daughter while she was running errands.
Dajuane said that Semaj was at the babysitter’s house when her daughter opened the basement door, which caused the pit bulls to escape and go straight for the little boy, who was sitting in his walker, biting him in the head, face and torso.
Pictured: Semaj with his mother Derica in the hospital. According to the baby’s grandfather, Semaj suffered a broken nose, fractured skull, lacerations to his face and torso, and loss of previous motor skills
According to Dajuane, the baby suffered a broken nose, fractured skull, lacerations to the face and torso, and loss of previous motor skills.
He will have future brain damage and is currently unable to breathe on his own.
The two dogs were reportedly owned by the babysitter’s friend but have both been confiscated and euthanized.
Pictured: Semaj with his grandfather Dajuane Goode in the hospital. Though he has a “long road to recovery” ahead of him, Dajuane says he and his family are trying to stay positive
After the attack, Semaj was taken straight to the intensive care unit, where “life-saving methods” were used, but his injuries were serious.
His heartbroken mother Derica, 25, said: “When I got to the hospital they told me that Semaj’s heart had stopped and he wasn’t there for about 20-30 minutes.
“They had to revive him and do three sets of reps to bring him back to life.”
She added: “While they were in the ER they said he might not make it. They also explained that he lost a lot of blood and that his small heart could stop again.
“I will never leave Semaj’s side – I’ve been with him since the day of the incident.”
Dajuane said the family had used the babysitter before, so they had no reason to be wary.
However, they have not spoken to her since the shocking incident.
Semaj’s mother, Derica, said: “When I got to the hospital, they told me that Semaj’s heart had stopped and he was out of action for about 20-30 minutes.”
On November 17, Semaj was transferred from the intensive care unit.
Despite having a “long road to recovery,” Dajuane said he and his family are trying to stay positive.
He said: “Domica is going through a whirlwind of emotions – one minute she blames herself and says she failed to protect her son. For another minute she is angry about the carelessness of the dog owner. But all in all, she’s so thankful we still have Semaj here with us.”
The family shared photos of the smiling baby in a Halloween costume just days before the attack on November 3 last month.
They have now set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical bills, having raised more than $11,000 so far, and are campaigning for the introduction of a Large Dog Act Semaj Bill in the US.
The family shared photos of the baby in his Halloween costume just days before the dog attack
The family supports the introduction of a “Large Dog Act Semaj Bill” in the USA.
Dajuane said the bill will require large dog owners to have their pet checked annually by a licensed veterinarian to determine if they are aggressive or not.
If found to be aggressive, appropriate training and action will be taken to ensure the safety of the dog owner and the public.
Pit bulls make up just six percent of dogs in the United States, but they are responsible for the vast majority of dog and human deaths, according to the Dog Attack Victims Group, dogsbite.org.
The organization, founded by dog attack survivor Collen Lynn, notes that over a 16-year period from 2005 to 2020, dogs killed 568 Americans and pit bulls contributed to 67 percent of those deaths.