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Dog mauls baby to death in Brooklyn

BY ROCCO PARASCANDOLA | rocco.parascandola@newsday.com

6:55 PM EST, January 3, 2008

An 8-month-old boy was attacked and killed by the family's pet Doberman Pinscher in Brooklyn Thursday afternoon, police said.

The 3-year-old dog, a neutered male named Mackabee who had been a member of the Stein family since he was a puppy, set upon Andrew Stein after he touched the dog's paw inside the family's home on Ocean Parkway, in Kensington, the boy's grandmother told police.

The grandmother, who was babysitting Andrew and was in the kitchen at the time, heard the child scream and ran to see what happened.

"The dog completely destroyed the baby's head," according to building superintendent Leonardo Collado.

The grandmother, Collado said, ran next door and enlisted the help of a neighbor, Jesus Rivera, who pulled the dog off Andrew, brought him back to his apartment and performed CPR on him while his wife, Annette, dialed 911.

But police said it appears the dog had crushed Andrew's skull. Andrew was rushed to Kings County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:06 p.m. after doctors worked on him for about an hour.

At the time of the incident, the child's parents - Paula, a teacher, and Brian, a hospital worker - were not home.

The dog was tranquilized by police and placed in the care of the Animal Care and Control Center. The city Department of Health is investigating the attack.

"The health department is evaluating the dog and the circumstances surrounding the incident and will make a recommendation about the animal's future that best predicts the public's safety," a department statement said.

If the department determines the dog is dangerous, and the owner agrees, the animal will be euthanized. If the owner doesn't agree, a law judge could decide the dog's fate after a hearing. Other options include retraining, relocating the dog, or having the dog wear a muzzle, the department said.

Dobermans, experts say, can get overwhelmed by loud voices or by quick moves made by children.

Mackabee, some in the building said, appeared to be well-adjusted, while others said differently.

Collado said he never saw the dog exhibit any aggressive behavior.

"I was surprised,'" Collado said, "but I don't trust those types of dogs.'"

-- Pervaiz Shallwani contributed to this report.