The parents of a two-month-old baby woke up in the middle of the night to find that their family dog had killed their baby girl, who was sleeping next to them.
According to Hampton police, the couple were awakened early Monday morning after they sensed a sudden movement on their bed. Their newborn baby girl was sleeping in an electronic swing close to their bed when they were disturbed by commotion that "wasn't normal to an infant."
"We think the dog stepped on the bed or hit the bed, and that woke the parents up," said Hampton Police Sgt. Amanda Moreland. When the parents checked on their daughter, they found that she had been fatally attacked by their pet dog, an old mixed-breed German Shepherd, which was still milling around nearby.
Hampton police said they received a call at approximately 3:15 a.m. to report the incident. "When officers arrived at the scene, they observed a small infant that had sustained injuries consistent with a canine attack," the police said in its press release.
While the baby's 25-year-old mother called 911, the 26-year-old father took the dog into the backyard and shot him to death. Neighbors said the infant's body was taken by the state medical examiner's office, while Hampton Animal control removed the dog's corpse from the yard.
Dog Was 'Jealous' of Baby
The parents said the dog had been with them for eight years and never before shown signs of aggression. Although there is no telling what triggered the canine to attack the infant, dogs, like humans, can experience a variety of emotions, including jealousy, especially when someone new becomes a member of the family, such as a newborn baby that seems to get all the attention and affection.
There have been instances of dogs exhibiting aggressive behavior toward babies out of jealousy. Earlier this year, a Labrador-foxhound mix killed newborn twins in Brazil because it felt "left out" after the babies were born. Another baby was mauled to death by a "jealous" chow chow cross in England last month.
