Babysitter, dog owner cited after pit bull attack on two young girls in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO — Two young girls, ages 1 and 2, are recovering after being attacked by a dog at their babysitter’s apartment.

It happened Saturday at the Lago Vista Apartments on the West Side. Police say their babysitter was bathing the dog when it jumped out of the tub, ran into the bedroom, and started biting the girls.

The one-year-old had injuries above the eye, according to officers on the scene, while the two-year-old suffered bites to the lip and armpit.

The dog, which the babysitter was also pet-sitting, is currently in quarantine at Animal Care Services, but the agency says it is not being investigated as “dangerous” at this time.

ACS told us Saturday, “It is already very clear: Irresponsible pet care and guardianship are the root cause of tragedies like this and today’s attack was 100% preventable.”

For many people in the area, this situation is all too familiar. Back in October, one-year-old Jiriyah Johnson was severely mauled by three dogs in Northeast Bexar County.

Jiriyah was supposed to be with Heather Rodriguez, his babysitter. Deputies say she left the child home with her own daughter and the three dogs. The baby and the teen were in a bedroom when one of the dogs broke through an already damaged door and began attacking Jiriyah. Other dogs eventually joined in.

Jiriyah died from his injuries.

Pamela Allen is the CEO of Eagle’s Flight Advocacy and has been in contact with Jiriyiah’s parents.

“I’m sure those families wish they could take it all back,” Allen said, of these situations.

RELATED: 1-year-old boy in critical condition after being attacked by pit bulls

She says entrusting your children to a babysitter is already difficult enough, and no parent expects something like this to happen.

“The similarities are of the parents trusting the babysitter to do what they said they were gonna do,” Allen said, of the two cases.

Rodriguez is facing three felonies for her role in Jiriyah’s death.

In the recent incident on Commerce Street, Animal Care Services reported that the dog owner and the babysitter are facing multiple citations, though no criminal charges have been filed yet.

Robert Jimenez, a legal expert, explained that officials are likely still trying to figure out exactly how much information was disclosed in this incident.

“You might not see any charges right now because they’re still investigating. I think what complicates the case is that the babysitter is dog-sitting someone else’s dog while also babysitting,” Jimenez said. “Did she know that maybe it had a propensity to go after people or possibly attack somebody? She might not have had any other information. They’re probably also looking to see what precautions she may have taken regarding the children that she was caring for and the animal.”

Questions remain about if the dog had history of aggression and whether the babysitter or dog owner communicated any potential risks.

Allen raised concerns about whether the children’s parents were aware of the dog’s presence in the apartment. She says this is a lesson to parents all across the area.

“I think now that’s a question we have to start asking. Are there any dogs in that home, or in the vicinity, that might be able to harm my child?” Allen said.

Our investigation also found that the dog should not have been at the apartment to begin with. The apartment complex where the attack occurred has policies against “visiting pets” and states all animals must go through a screening. There are also specific breed restrictions listed on the website, including pit bull terriers. Police identified the dog as a pit bull on Saturday.

We reached out to the property management company about the implications of these policies in light of the incident. We have not received a response.