(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. - A 2-year-old boy has been released from the hospital after he was attacked by a neighbor's dog last week in Pembroke Pines, a man who answered the door at his home Monday told Local 10 News reporter Ian Margol.
According to Pembroke Pines police, the incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the area of Northwest 85th Way and 15th Court.
An offense report stated that the victim and his grandmother were standing outside their home when a neighbor's dog escaped from its home and charged at the toddler.
Police said the neighbor, Sara Bochniak, 37, told officers she went outside to take pictures of her home as she had recently painted it, and had closed the door behind her, but believes the door didn't latch shut.
According to the report, a piece of paper or mail from the victim's home flew into Bochniak's front yard and the grandmother apologized and said she would pick it up.
Bochniak told officers that she offered to grab it, at which time her 3-year-old bullmastiff/boxer mix named Biscotti escaped from the home and ran to the child, biting him in the neck area, the report stated.
Police said the boy's grandmother, Bochniak and Bochniak's mother ran to the toddler and pulled the dog off of him.
Bochniak's mother took the dog back inside the home as Bochniak, who is a registered nurse, and another neighbor, Broward Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jesus Madrigal, tended to the boy's injuries until a Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue crew arrived, authorities said.
Police said the boy was taken to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital with the following injuries:
• Two punctures to the head
• One puncture to the mouth, causing six teeth to come out
• One puncture to the chin
• Three punctures to the left arm
• Two punctures to the mid back
• One puncture to the left ear
• Two punctures to the left jaw area
• Four punctures on the left side of back
• An 8 cm laceration to the left shoulder
• A 4 cm laceration to the right shin
According to the report, the boy's grandmother told officers she had jumped on top of her grandson to protect him from the dog, but the dog kept coming for the boy, so she shoved her left hand into its mouth to prevent it from biting him.
The grandmother was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital to be treated for multiple puncture wounds to her left hand, as well as scrapes and bruises on her legs.
Police said Broward County Animal Control responded to the scene and took custody of Biscotti.
Authorities said Bochniak voluntarily agreed to take her other dog, Bailey, to a quarantine center. Police said Bailey escaped from the home during the incident but was not involved in the attack against the boy.
According to the report, the boy's grandmother told officers that "accidents happen" and she didn't want anything to happen to the dog that attacked her grandson.
However, several people who live in the neighborhood told Margol this was a ticking time bomb and the dog has had issues in the past. They said they want the dog out of the neighborhood for good.
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