Baby AJ who remains in critical, but stable condition after being snatched from
his crib by the family's dog, Dakota, a Native American Indian dog. (ABC)
Michael Smith, the father of the newborn baby who was snatched from his crib on Monday by the family's Native American Indian dog, spoke to Diane Sawyer of "Good Morning America" this morning. (Watch the video here.)
His son, Alexander James Smith, who they call "AJ," remains in critical, but stable condition at the University of Kentucky Hospital after being snatched from his crib Monday afternoon by Dakota, a 65-pound female Native American Indian dog that has been with the family for four years.
AJ suffered a skull fracture, collapsed lungs, broken ribs and a hole in his side when Dakota dragged him from the crib.
How did the baby get taken from the crib?
AJ, born three weeks premature, was brought home on Sunday afternoon. He was just three days old when the incident happened. Smith explains that he and his wife were busy finishing baby-proofing the house as AJ lay in his crib upstairs. They only left him alone for "two minutes."
Suddenly, his wife said, "It's quiet. I'm going to run upstairs real quick." "When she ran upstairs, she realized the back door was open," Smith told WLKY News."I heard her scream and at that point knew something wasn't good."
AJ was gone, and so was Dakota. After searching frantically and calling 911, Smith witnessed a bone-chilling scene in his back yard.
She [Dakota] had him by the chest, carrying him like a loaf of bread, and what I saw, his head was out [of the blanket] and you could see some blood on his head.
--- Michael Smith, father of baby taken from crib by family dog, to WLKY New
Dakota dropped the baby in the woods about 150 yards away from the house. They rushed him to the University of Kentucy Medical Center.
Smith struggles to hold back tears when he recounted the first moments at the hospital when AJ's heart stopped and they had to rescusitate him using tiny, little paddles, and the family met with a pastor and was given one last chance to visit AJ in case the unthinkable happened. But, thankfully, AJ, stabilized. "He's a fighter," says Smith about his baby son. "He's been fighting the whole way. The priority now is rest and getting the medications in him."
Suprisingly (or, not surprisingly to some) Smith harbors no ill feelings toward Dakota.
I don't feel angry at the dog... It wasn't a dog attack. It was more of a snatch-and-grab, like 'here's my toy.'
-- Smith on "Good Morning America"
Smith describes Dakota as "mild-mannered" and part of the family. "If she had my son for 10 minutes and wanted to do any damage, A.J. wouldn't be here," Smith said.
Still, "there's no way she can come back in the house," says Smith, who feels sad about that. "We're getting rid of something that's been very close to our hearts."The family's other dog will remain in the home.
Dakota is in the possession of local animal control officers. Her fate is uncertain.
Meanwhile, animal experts are weighing in, blaming Dakota's actions on her "wild genetics" and being a "wolf mix" and another expert saying that Dakota was acting out of fear of being "trapped" or "cornered" by the baby.
Smith has his own explanation for what happened. "She just has a habit of taking cubs or stuffed animals and takes them out to several places in the back," Smith said.
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Comments
Read this.
premature baby, hmm ,dogs can sense-smell sickness, disease, danger maybe there is more than is known yet. stop speculating and start thinking
Native American Indian dog? Isn't that just another way of saying Wolf?
My prayers go out to baby AJ, his parents and Dakota. Kuddos to Mr. Smith and his attitude towards the situation.
This is such a sad story but thankfully it seems that baby AJ will be alright. Incidentally, Native American Indian dogs are NOT wolves or wolf hybrids.
One of Diane Sawyer's last questions was something like, "Do think you'll ever find a way to forgive yourself?" I cringed! It appeared to me that she had run out of intelligent questions and opted for a cheap attempt to draw an emotional response. Even presuming that he blamed himself for what happened to his son. I had to turn the TV off at that point. Judgemental Journalism!
The dog is pictured with an older boy. She is probably used to playing fetch and they even said she likes to hide toys in the woods. The dad is right in saying that the dog didn't do it maliciously & just assumed the baby was another toy. Diane Sawyers questions were horrible, always trying to make someone or something out to be a villan. It isn't the parents fault & it isn't the dogs'. It just happened.
It "just happened" because the parents "just happen" to be stupid enough to own dogs. It "just happens" to be absolutely their fault.
"Native American "dog???? Not even a real breed, and a bit racist??? Get the facts. . .
Wow! A real genuine Native American Indian dog. Does he run a casino?
i have a 9 month old son and when he was a newborn there was NO WAY we would ever leave him alone even for "two minutes" it is the parents fault and the fact that they said "oh he thought it was his toy" just makes it worse!! they should put the dog down and take that child away from the parents obviously cannot watch a dog let alone a newborn.
The so called "Native American Indian Dog" is a designer dog with a made up history. It was created by a Michigan "breeder" who was a former wolf hybrid breeder. When the wolf hybrids were outlawed in Michigan, she had to come up with something new. It amazes me that people will plunk down huge sums of money for mutts. Check out Majestic View Kennel. What a nut!
Whenever you read about this story, even on AOL this morning on Animals in the News, you read, "Dakota ... Native American Indian Dog", masking the fact that it's a Wolf Hybrid. Attacks or snatching of children and babies has happened many itmes in the past .. when are these folks going to learn ...
To "Media-Ugh" who stated they are not wolves or wolf-hybrids .. read the story through --- "..animal experts are weighing in, blaming Dakota's actions on her "wild genetics" and being a "wolf mix" "
Good One ToTo! He probably does.
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