A seven-month-old baby has been left with horrendous injuries after he was ‘mauled’ by two pit bulls.
Baby Semaj, from Washington DC, was in the care of a babysitter when the incident took place on November 3.
According to his grandfather, Dajuane Goode, 46, the babysitter left Semaj with her daughter while she ran errands.
Dajuane said that Semaj was in the babysitter’s house when her daughter opened their cellar door, which led to the pit bulls escaping.
Pictured: Semaj with his mother Derica in 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
The dogs allegedly went straight for the little boy, who was in his walker, biting his head, face and torso.
According to Dajuane, the baby suffered a broken nose, fractured skull, lacerations to his 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 boyfriend.
Since the incident, Dajuane said that they have been seized and euthanized.
Pictured: Semaj with his grandfather Dajuane Goode in hospital. Although he has a ‘long road to recovery’, Dajuane says he and his family are trying to stay positive
After the attack, Semaj was rushed straight to ICU where ‘life-saving methods’ were used, but his injuries were severe.
His mom Derica, 25, said: ‘When I arrived at the hospital, they told me that Semaj’s heart had stopped beating and he was out for about 20 to 30 minutes.
‘They had to resuscitate him and had to do three sets of reps to bring him back to life.’
She added: ‘Whilst in the ER, they said he might not make it. They also stated that he lost a lot of blood and that his little heart may stop again.
‘I will never leave Semaj’s side – I have been with him since the day of the incident.’
Dajuane said that the family had used the babysitter before, so they had no reason to be cautious.
However, they have not spoken to her since the shocking incident.
Semaj’s mom Derica said: ‘When I arrived at the hospital, they told me that Semaj’s heart had stopped beating and he was out for about 20 to 30 minutes’
On November 17, Semaj was moved from the ICU.
Although he has 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, saying she failed to protect her son.
‘Another minute she’s angry at the negligence of the dog’s owner.
‘But all in all, she is so grateful that we still have Semaj here with us.’
The family shared photos of the baby smiling in a Halloween costume just days before the attack.
They family have now set up a GoFundMe page to cover medical bills, with more than $11,000 raised so far.
The family shared photos of the baby smiling in his Halloween costume just days before the dog attack
They are advocating the introduction of a ‘Large Dog Act Semaj Bill’ in the US.
Dajuane said the bill will require large dog owners to have their pet evaluated annually by a licensed veterinarian to determine if it is deemed aggressive.
If it is found to be aggressive, proper training and measures will be put in place to ensure the safety of the public and the dog’s owner.
