Autopsy results in the death of a 21-month-old north Bryan County toddler mauled at her home by seven dogs showed injuries consistent with a dog attack, Bryan County Sheriff Clyde Smith said Thursday.
Although charges are likely against at least one adult living in the Elm Road home where Monica Renee Laminack was killed by the family’s seven pit bulls and pit bull mixes March 27, nothing has been decided, Smith said.
“It will probably be next week before we do (file) charges,” Smith said. “We want to give (the family) some time to breathe right now.”
The sheriff said he will meet next week with the district attorney to make a final decision. He indicated Monica’s 18-year-old mother, Summer Laminack, probably will be charged, at least, with child neglect in the case where the toddler apparently went through a doggy door outside to where the unattended dogs were located.
“That’s who would be responsible,” Smith said.
The child’s grandmother was upstairs laying down when she heard the dogs fighting and barking, the sheriff said.
“She looked out her window and yelled, ‘They are killing Monica.’ They, the family, all went downstairs; they had four generations living there,” Smith said. “The two boys pulled the dogs off the baby. The baby’s mother, Summer, picked Monica up and said, ‘She’s dead.’”
No ordinances in Bryan County prohibit keeping pit bulls or regulate the number of dogs a private citizen may have.
The family, Smith said, told investigators Monica, who would have turned 2 in June, was used to being around the dogs, and Bryan County Animal Control had never had a call at the residence concerning the pets.
All seven pit bulls and pit bull mixes involved in the attack were euthanized at the scene. The family’s other two dogs — not pit bulls — were not involved in the attack.
When formal charges are filed, Smith said, he will notify the public.