Hoosick Falls toddler was not unattended during mauling

HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — NEWS10 spoke with the grandmother of the 2-year-old boy who was mauled by a group of dogs at a house on 4th Street in Hoosick Falls. She wanted to clarify that the child was not left unattended at the time of the attack. 

Hoosick Falls 2-year-old mauled by Rottweilers

The toddler's grandmother did not want to be interviewed or identified. However, she wanted to stop social media misinformation that her grandson was alone.

Local police confirm her claim. "The child was not alone at the time of this incident. The child was with an adult as well as another child and not its residents but a family member's residence" said Sergeant John Hudson, Hoosick Falls PD's Acting Officer in charge.

NEWS10 also learned about the toddler’s relation to his babysitter. According to the grandmother, the toddler was being watched by his aunt (the grandmother's other daughter).

The aunt, on maternity leave with a baby of her own, owns the four Rottweilers. The grandmother says the canines were outside barking on Wednesday morning, so the aunt brought them inside. The grandma then explained that her grandson was inside the house behind a child-proof gate when the dogs busted through and started attacking him for an unclear reason. The Grandmother says the aunt was also bitten by the dogs while trying to stop them from mauling the toddler. 

On Thursday, Sergeant Hudson told NEWS10's James DeLa Fuente that the attack scene was gruesome. “It's a very traumatic event for not only the family but the village because this was quite a situation especially when the two-year-old is involved. It's traumatic for everybody involved" said Hudson.

The grandmother says that this was unexpected as she didn't know the dogs to be aggressive. But a neighbor told NEWS10 off-camera that the animals were territorial and often strayed off of their property.

Fortunately, the grandmother says her grandson will pull through. The toddler is recuperating at Albany Med.The four Rottweilers responsible for the mauling were euthanized and sent to labs for rabies testing. Those results are still pending.

NEWS10 reached out to the aunt and mother of the injured 2-year-old. As of this article's publication, they have yet to contact us.