Bizarre

Listening to Rob Thomas' album, Something to Be

A story from my old neighbourhood of Bossier City, Louisiana, where I spent ages 6-12 on Barksdale AFB. This was passed to me from YKWIA, and it left us wondering at the bizarre nature of the story.

A couple awoke to find four of their month-old daughter's toes gnawed off. Yeah, you read that right. Gnawed off. The baby was sleeping in a carrier, according the news reports, right next to the mattress in the living room upon which the parents were sleeping. Her two-year-old brother was at his grandparents' at the time.

There were two pets in the house--a ferret and a 6-week-old pit bull terrier puppy. The father insists that the ferret was in its cage and that the puppy must have done it. The mother says the ferret was out of its cage and thinks it did it. Both animals are in quarantine for rabies as their fates are decided. One news story I read said that if the puppy, who still has it's baby teeth and is extremely small, did it, it would take about four hours to do so. The ferret could easily have done it...they have gnashy teeth like a cat or rat. But the parents' stories conflict. And then there's the fact that they didn't hear the baby crying--even though she was right next to them--while four toes were gnawed off. Tests have been taken to see if they were under the influence of drugs. Meanwhile, they are in custody on a misdemeanour charge of child endangerment with a $50,000 bond each, and the child is in state custody. She has been released from the hospital and the parents have plead guilty to the charges. The boy remains in his grandparents' custody.
Meanwhile, there have been calls flooding city hall about the fate of the puppy--apparently no one cares about the ferret or the child for that matter, as the hospital did not receive similar calls. Granted, the hospital also couldn't have released any information. But it's got the folks at city hall scratching their heads.

Here are some links:

Mother Says Ferret, Not Pup, Chewed Baby's Toes

Some wonder if ferret, not puppy, gnawed off baby's toes

Hospital releases infant maimed by family pet (includes pictures of the parents)

US parents whose baby's toes were gnawed off by pet accept deal with prosecutor

Couple Whose Baby Injured by Animal Seeks Bond Reduction

'Why don't they send get-well letters to the child?' (includes a picture of the puppy)