Florida police received a call that a 6-year-old boy had been attacked by the family dog, which had no history of acting out. However, when police arrived at the home, the situation was far worse than they could have ever imagined.
Around 10:30 a.m., police responded to a home in North Point concerning a frantic call about a dog attack on a young child. When they arrived on the scene, officers witnessed a gruesome sight. Sadly, even with emergency care, the young victim wouldn’t survive his extensive injuries.
Neighbors rushed to the home of Liz and Michelle Guillen after hearing blood-curdling screams come from the abode, WINK reports. What they walked into was straight out of a horror film. The bedroom was covered in blood, and 6-year-old Dylan Guillen had been critically injured by the family’s dog, which has been identified as a pit bull mix.
Police would soon discover precisely what happened that triggered the dog’s violent reaction. Detectives explained that Dylan had simply rounded the corner into the bedroom to retrieve something. The dog happened to be in the room when Dylan walked in, setting the brutal attack in motion.
“It was inside the home. The dog was in a bedroom, the child walked into the bedroom to get something. Next thing you know, people heard screaming and jumped into action,” said Josh Taylor, public information officer of the North Port Police Department.
Dylan sustained extensive traumatic injuries to his upper torso and was rushed to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Tampa General Hospital for life-saving treatment, according to The Blaze. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries hours later.
The dog was described as a 3-year-old mixed breed, including some pit bull terrier. Following the attack, the pet was immediately removed from the home and quarantined for 10 days. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office says the dog was then euthanized per the owners’ request.
Both the family and the police confirmed that there are no incidents of previous aggressive reactions from the dog. The event appears to have happened without warning or provocation. Police announced that no charges have been filed.
“From every bit of information we have so far is there’s no history of the dog acting out, which would indicate that something could possibly happen,” Taylor said. “The animal lived in the home from basically a puppy, a couple of weeks old, between 2 and 8 weeks, if I’m not mistaken, and you know, was a family pet.”
A Go Fund Me campaign was launched to help Liz and Michelle with medical and funeral costs. The fund raiser described Dylan as a little boy who “had a huge love for dinosaurs” and “will continue to live on playing baseball in Heaven.” Dylan was listed as an organ donor, and his kidneys were reportedly given to “two other little kids in need.”
DogsBite.org has recorded 568 deaths by dogs in America between 2005 and 2020. Of those fatalities, pit bulls were reportedly responsible for 67 percent. Time magazine also reported in 2014 that “pit bulls make up only 6 percent of the dog population, but they’re responsible for 68 percent of dog attacks and 52 percent of dog-related deaths since 1982.”
It’s true that any dog can attack without provocation at any time. However, there is a discrepancy between other breeds and pit bulls and pit bull mixes. Sadly, children are even more vulnerable to these attacks.
Dylan Guillen was only in this world for six short years, but that was more than enough time to change the lives of all who knew him. He will always be remembered for his tremendous heart toward his family and his undying love of baseball.
