Infant Killed By Dog In Tragic Accident

One-month-old Kamryn Billingsley was sleeping next to her mother early Monday morning when a dog, a pit bull mix, grabbed the baby and killed her.

The child's mother, 19-year-old Samantha Billingsley, was visiting friends on 21st Avenue in the Shoreline Park community. She told police when it got late, they decided to spend the night.

Billingsley had the baby in bed with her when the unthinkable happened.

At first glance the little dog named Baby doesn't look like it would pose a danger to anyone. Baby is a one year old pit bull mix.

Sheriff Steve Garber says the animal attacked a baby girl as she slept.

"Basically the dog got up on the bed, grabbed the baby by the head, and took the baby out of the bed and drug it down the hall, slinging it around," Garber said.

The attack happened in the middle of the night. Family and friends stood outside in shock telling investigators what happened.

"The mother felt around and did not feel the baby, so she jumped up at that time. That's when she found a blood trail going down the hall. She followed the blood trail and that's where she found her baby."

21 year old Garrard Marquar is the dog's owner. Friends say it usually stays outside, but since it was cold, they brought the dog in.

Why no one heard the attack is a mystery to investigators.

"I guess being about 1:30 in the morning, they must have been in a dead sleep. I would like to think that the baby would have cried out or something. But keep in mind to the dog, this could have been like a play toy," Garber said.

Sheriff's officials are still investigating whether anyone will be charged in the case.

The dog was put down at the Waveland Animal Shelter Monday afternoon. His owner told authorities the dog was given to him when it was a puppy. Sheriff's investigators are trying to contact the previous owner of the dog to see if he had been trained to fight.

by Al Showers