Chicago Injury Attorney Blog

In Southwest Chicago, 4-year-old Alex Angulo died on Sunday after a Rottweiler in his foster family’s backyard attacked him. His dog mauling death is raising concerns over whether child welfare officials did enough to make sure that he would be safe at a home that also housed a poodle and two Rottweilers.

According to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Alex was supposed to be supervised anytime he was with the dogs. Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris, however, says this precaution was obviously not enough and that the boy shouldn’t have been allowed to stay at the home.

Chicago police are trying to determine what foster family members were doing when the dog attack happened. One of his caregivers, who had been using a snowblower in a back alley, didn’t find Alex until after he was mauled. The three dogs were put to sleep.

Alex has been a foster child since he was an infant. He has lived in numerous homes over the years. In December, a judge found that his latest home wasn’t the best fit for him because of the foster mother’s advanced age.

This isn’t the only Illinois dog attack to occur this year. In Joliet, two sisters, 5 and 10, were injured on January 6 when a Rottweiler mauled them after the animal got out of its cage.

Dog Attacks
According to Animal People, 63 people died from Rottweiler attacks between 1982 and 2007. Illinois law holds dog owners liable for dog attacks even if there was no way of knowing that a pet would injure others. Dog bites can lead to puncture wounds, facial disfigurements, muscle damage, internal injuries, mental anguish, and emotional trauma.

New life awaited boy killed by dog, Chicago Tribune, January 11, 2009

2 sisters remain hospitalized after dog mauling in Joliet, Chicago Tribune, January 8, 2009

Related Web Resource:
Dog Bites, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

You or your may be entitled to Illinois personal injury compensation from a negligent dog owner.