6-year-old Detroit boy loses arm, may see the other amputated, after being mauled by father’s dogs

“It’s an attack that will forever change a 6-year-old boy’s life,” the child’s grandmother said, describing the emotional toll on the family. She said her grandson remains sedated at a children’s hospital and also suffered injuries to his leg.

“They basically damaged his right arm. His fingers were mangled. His right thumb was completely gone,” she said.

The Detroit Animal Care and Control received a report of the attack from a local hospital the same day it occurred. Investigators said the child’s father had told him to clean the yard while the family’s two dogs were outside. The father later returned to find the boy unresponsive, with both dogs attacking him, officials said.

The dogs were surrendered to animal control following the incident. Family members have raised questions about whether another animal may have been involved, suggesting the possibility that a different animal entered the yard. However, police have not found evidence to support that claim.

“A neighbor a block away, a friend of the family, he informed us that he’s been seeing coyotes around,” the grandmother added.

A spokesperson for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said no charges will be filed, citing a lack of sufficient evidence that a crime occurred. Prosecutors noted that the parents were not aware of any prior aggression from the dogs and that the father had owned them since they were puppies.