A tragic incident occurred in Alabaster, Alabama, where a 6-month-old baby girl lost her life following a dog attack.
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Alabaster police reported that the attack occurred around 10 a.m. on March 14 at a family member’s residence, per Al.com. Authorities confirmed that two dogs were present at the scene and have since been placed under a 10-day quarantine by animal control.
Anna Southard, the mother of 6-month-old Ember Renee Southard, revealed that her daughter was attacked by an 11-year-old American Bully. According to her, the dog had no prior history of aggression or violent behavior toward children.
Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner reported that the victim, a baby from Bibb County, was transported to a children’s hospital following the attack. The incident occurred at a family member’s home in Shelby County, according to the coroner.
The Alabaster police are currently investigating the case but have decided not to file charges at this stage. Instead, the matter has been referred to the Shelby County district attorney and grand jury for further consideration.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to support Ember’s family with funeral expenses.
“At just 6 months old, she took her last breath, a parent’s worst nightmare,‘’ the fundraiser reads. ”Her parents, grandparents, and extended family are heartbroken.”
“The GoFundMe is to help with funeral costs for my daughter and everything surrounding,” Anna Southard explained, per Fox 8. “Flowers, headstone, burial plot. I didn’t make the GoFundMe, my aunt did. The GoFundMe names the car wreck I had Thursday morning, where I hit two deer and damaged my car. I could care less about my car.”
As of this writing, the campaign has raised just over $11,000.
Mother Recalls the Day Her 6-Month-Old Baby was Tragically Killed in Dog Attack
Anna Southard also detailed the harrowing and tragic day her baby girl fell victim to the dog attack.
“[A] family member fell asleep with my daughter on their chest,” she explained, perFox 8. “My daughter fell from their chest and was mauled by the dog. They then called my nanny and then 911.”
“The family member is epileptic and had a seizure AFTER my daughter was in the ambulance,” Southard continued. “Trauma at Children’s did their best, and before she went up to the OR, they told me it was very touch and go and unlikely my daughter would live. I still begged them to. At 1:10, Ember passed away despite over a dozen doctors’ best interest.”
Despite saying she would never forgive the family member for the tragic incident, Southard claimed they were “not going to push [the investigation] one way or the other.”
“I think the punishment of knowing what their neglect did to my daughter will haunt them for the rest of their life, as it should,” Southard reasoned.
“It was an accident. An avoidable accident is still an accident.”