I read this today and I need input.

[3girls2luv]

I don't see why the parents are being charged for endangering the child. It seems to me that the older children were watching the 13mo old and the dogs got out. The baby was in the crib and did not get hurt. Does anyone see it a different way?

Friendswood parents charged after baby trapped by dogfight





Associated Press - July 7, 2008 8:05 PM ET

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas (AP) - Child endangerment charges have been filed against a Friendswood couple after their toddler was trapped today in a bloody dogfight.

Angela and Jonathan Newton allegedly left the 13-month-old girl at home with the dogs, described as an American bulldog and a French bull mastiff.

Bond for each parent is $10,000.

The youngster has been released to a relative.

Two older children, a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old, ran to a neighbor's house for help when the dogs began fighting after one animal broke out of its cage.

Officers forced open the door to the baby's room where the dogs were fighting and shot one animal with a Taser. The other was hit with bean bag rounds.

An officer then pulled the crying toddler from her crib.

1 of the dogs died at the scene. The other was taken away by animal control.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Rizzae2]

What?? that's dumb. The dogs were locked up and got out. How is that the parents fault?

[steelady]

Sounds like there is more going on.


Maybe the dogs were not properly contained? Perhaps the toddlers room wasn't the best place to have the dogs? It wasn't clear from the article how the dogs got into the room with the toddler.

[Jacksmommy]

How old does a babysitter have to be? Maybe this is why. Maybe her older children aren't old enough to be legally considered responsible to babysit the baby.

[steelady]

How old does a babysitter have to be? Maybe this is why. Maybe her older children aren't old enough to be legally considered responsible to babysit the baby.


I thought of that, but the oldest was 13, unless there was a cognitive delay, that age sounds ok to babysit.

[3girls2luv]

The older kids did the right thing and that to me shows that they were responsible enough to watch the baby.

[Jacksmommy]

I don't really think charging the parents is warranted, but I'd never let a 13 year old babysit - not without an adult in the house.

[EllaBella]

Its amazing how some parents who don't rightly deserve it get charged while others go unpunished for their deeds....The children were old enough to watch the toddler, though I do agree, the Dogs kennels shouldn't be in the toddlers room. The article made it sound bad with, the parents left the toddler home alone with dogs as babysitters....wasn't until the end they metioned the two older siblings

[Jacksmommy]

I looked up the legal age to babysit in Texas btw, and there isn't one. Children must be safe and feel safe. Babysitter must be able to handle emergencies. That was pretty much all it said.

[EllaBella]

I think the older children did well in this situation, it must have been very stressful, and now all of this...so sad

[TuetonicWillow]

I don't really think charging the parents is warranted, but I'd never let a 13 year old babysit - not without an adult in the house.


I could have guessed that. Your child is the precious one (unlike our children) and you don't let him ever get hurt. Something like this happening to your child isn't possible, right?



The article doesn't give any clear story, only a very brief summary and snippets of events. We have no way of knowing the big picture.

[3girls2luv]

Not everyone would let a 13y/o babysit and JM was just stating her choices in babysitters. There really was no need for your remark TW.

[TuetonicWillow]

The thread police work faster than ever these days.

[steelady]

Its amazing how some parents who don't rightly deserve it get charged while others go unpunished for their deeds....The children were old enough to watch the toddler, though I do agree, the Dogs kennels shouldn't be in the toddlers room. The article made it sound bad with, the parents left the toddler home alone with dogs as babysitters....wasn't until the end they metioned the two older siblings


That's what I mean that there must be other stuff going on.

Maybe the 13 and 11 y/o weren't babysitting but came home to find the dogs fighting in the toddler's room, ya know?

And having two dogs who fight kenneled in the same room as each other is irresponsible to me, but I have no idea if it rises to level of abuse or neglect.

[steelady]

The thread police work faster than ever these days.


Nah, it's just a slow day.

(and your comment seems a bit like it is coming from left field)

[EllaBella]

There is no clear picture here..that is true...and you never know when dogs might get disgrutaled with each other, I had two dogs for 13 yrs, and they were great, and loved each other...but every now and again, they would go at it....can't predict that... I agree, dogs should have been kenneled together or in the toddlers room

[TuetonicWillow]

Its amazing how some parents who don't rightly deserve it get charged while others go unpunished for their deeds....The children were old enough to watch the toddler, though I do agree, the Dogs kennels shouldn't be in the toddlers room. The article made it sound bad with, the parents left the toddler home alone with dogs as babysitters....wasn't until the end they metioned the two older siblings


But nobody knows what condition the home was in when police arrived. Nobody knows if the parents have a record or a history of neglect or abuse. Nobody knows what condition the kennels were in. Nobody knows how long the children were alone or if the toddler was alone without teenager supervision for any time. We can't know the condition of the toddler, his state of cleanliess or anything.

All these details are left out and without them, there isn't any way of knowing why the parents were charged.

[TuetonicWillow]

Officers forced open the door to the baby's room where the dogs were fighting

Why did they not have easy access to the child's room and were required to "force" the door open?


Right there I am led to believe some things were amiss at the initial scene.

[KerryS]

Why did they not have easy access to the child's room and were required to "force" the door open?


Right there I am led to believe some things were amiss at the initial scene.

I'm envisioning the dogs right on the other side of the door, so that the door wasn't easily opened.

[Jessie81]

Sounds like there is more going on.


Maybe the dogs were not properly contained? Perhaps the toddlers room wasn't the best place to have the dogs? It wasn't clear from the article how the dogs got into the room with the toddler.


This... Owners of dogs are charged when their dogs get out and bite a stranger- how is this different?

[xobehs]

Why did they not have easy access to the child's room and were required to "force" the door open?


Right there I am led to believe some things were amiss at the initial scene.

yeh, WTH...The dogs must have locked it on their way into the room.
something is off here.

[steelady]

Why did they not have easy access to the child's room and were required to "force" the door open?


Right there I am led to believe some things were amiss at the initial scene.


Why were the dogs in the room?

how well were they secured if they "got out"?

I'm with you on the lack of facts.

[Ilovemonkeys]

I let my 12 yo babysit- for short amounts of time- but I would never leave any young teenager at home alone to babysit a baby that young and i'd sure as hell never leave my kids alone with violent dogs- in cages or not. I'll bet the kids were playing around and let them out.

Above all I would never have those kinds of animals in my house- you've got 3 kids and 2 dogs that are so dangerous they need to be caged indoors? IMO that's child endangerment.

[3girls2luv]

They leave so much out that it leaves a lot to the imagination.

Maybe the dogs were running around and fighting and started rolling around and rolled into the baby's room and knocked the door shut.

The parents were charged with child endangerment but there has to more they are not mentioning here because it does not mention that the baby was hurt.

[steelady]

They leave so much out that it leaves a lot to the imagination.

Maybe the dogs were running around and fighting and started rolling around and rolled into the baby's room and knocked the door shut.

The parents were charged with child endangerment but there has to more they are not mentioning here because it does not mention that the baby was hurt.

I don't think actual injury is needed for endangerment. Though I'm not sure.

[3girls2luv]

I could see the child being endangered if she was with the dogs, but she was in a crib and the dogs were in a kennel but some how they got out.

If the parents left the baby in the care of a 13y/o and an 11y/o and the dogs were in a kennel and the baby was probably asleep in the crib, then I do not see the endangerment. KIWM. This is what puzzles me but like others have posted, there has to be more to it than what they are saying.

[hotlama]

I think that everything was handled very well by the older kids. Being that the baby was contained in her crib it was probably safer to just leav her in the room than for one of the kids to try and take her out of the crib with two dogs fighting around them. I think it's ridiculous that the parents have been charged.

[Jacksmommy]

I could have guessed that. Your child is the precious one (unlike our children) and you don't let him ever get hurt. Something like this happening to your child isn't possible, right?



The article doesn't give any clear story, only a very brief summary and snippets of events. We have no way of knowing the big picture.

How very snotty of you. I didn't say anything terrible about the parents. I would not have a 13 year old babysitter. How does that mean that anyone else's child is not precious?

[TheLorax]

I have to wonder if one of the dogs was protecting the baby from the other dog and that explains the level of the fight and their location in the baby's room.

[pawprint]

I am usually with you TW but it did seem a bit out of left field. Saying one would not select a 13 year old babysitter is no judgment of the worth of another child.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I don't think actual injury is needed for endangerment. Though I'm not sure.
You're correct. A child doesn't have to be injured for an adult to be charged with endangerment.

I'd love to know all the details. Based on the article, I don't think the parents should be charged.

[Prisca]

I would suspect perhaps more was going on, but who knows?

My first thought, was why are there two aggressive dogs caged in the house with children to begin with? I really doubt we are hearing all the details. Too much of it doesn't make sense.

[QuiltyConscience]

I am wondering if there had been complaints about the dogs before. Maybe there was a history of problems with the dogs already.

[Tiffers]

How very snotty of you. I didn't say anything terrible about the parents. I would not have a 13 year old babysitter. How does that mean that anyone else's child is not precious?


FWIW, Jacksmommy, I wouldn't let a 13yo babysit my kids either. If that means I'm overprotective, oh well.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Jacob is 9. If he continues on the path he is right now, I'd feel very comfortable with his babysitting at the age of 13. Dsd was an entirely different story, though.

[Tiffers]

Judy, I think that's what really matters - knowing your kids and what your comfortable with.

I don't think that necessarily means the parent is overprotective and it certainly does not imply that one child is more "precious" than another.

[babymakes4]

"Angela and Jonathan Newton allegedly left the 13-month-old girl at home with the dogs, described as an American bulldog and a French bull mastiff."

Without reading anymore of that article it sounds like the baby was left alone with the dogs. So, I have to wonder if the older children were home the whole time or not.

I think the older children handled the situation very responsibly. The parents however are a different story. Why oh why would there be dangerous dogs in your house when you have young children, and moreover why the hell would you give such dogs access to your toddlers room!!!??? I realize they were caged, but I still think if I knew my dogs needed to be caged in the house, they would not be allowed in my home at all.

Somethiing is definitley amiss here. It just doesn't add up. I am glad that the children are all ok, and the parents are being investigated for a terrible situation that could have been prevented. I do think that's child endangerment.

And FWIW, I would have a hard time leaving my children with a young teenager as well.

[BeanBabies]

I'd love to know all the details. Based on the article, I don't think the parents should be charged.

I agree. There must be more to the story than what was reported.

[Babyhellfire]

You're correct. A child doesn't have to be injured for an adult to be charged with endangerment.

I'd love to know all the details. Based on the article, I don't think the parents should be charged.

I agree.
I am very very over protective about letting my kid stay with people,and left my tot with a teenager(granted it was my 16/17 yr SIL who certified to work in a day care,cpr trained,- and we lived right next to MIL,and not far from other relatives.)

I think TWs comment was IRT some comments jackmommy made awhile back...not that that it any excuse for rudeness- just that explains where the hostility would come from.

[cc1003]

http://www.khou.com/news/local/galveston/stories/khou080707_mh_dogfightbaby.31f45a98.html

Here is another version. It is very similar but it seems that the older two children were possibly not there the entire time.

TW, I often agree with you but that comment was hateful and uncalled for. I wouldn't leave my child with a thirteen year old either but I certainly won't judge someone that would.

I remember the discussion that I'm ASSuming this stemmed from but I just disagree with you here.

[TuetonicWillow]

How very snotty of you.


You're right. It's not fair for me to read that much into your posts based on a past thread.


I apologize.

[Carolina]

It's hard to jump to conclusions without knowing exactly what happened in that particular moment. The story doesn't really say too much.

[nicurn]

In CA, 11 year olds can become "certified babysitters" through the Red Cross, and can legally babysit.

IMO, the boys let one dog out and ran for help when their homemade dogfight got out of hand.

[Jacksmommy]

You're right. It's not fair for me to read that much into your posts based on a past thread.


I apologize.


Apparently you misunderstood me in a past thread. I believe all children are precious. I did not criticize other people's parenting styles in that thread either. It was my parenting style that some felt wasn't what it should be.
In any case, I appreciate your apology. You're forgiven.:)

[3girls2luv]

"Police said the couple left the baby alone with the two boys, who are not believed to be related."

In this statement it seems the boys were left with the baby.

FWIW when my dog was inside when I was not home I would put him in a kennel and he was not vicious he was just messy.