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Dog that killed baby returned to owner
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The dog that authorities said killed a 3-day-old baby earlier this month has been returned to its owner.
Mahoning County Dog Warden Dianne Fry said Friday the 10-day quarantine period for the dog, which was taken to the dog pound after Aiden Grim died Feb. 7 in his home in the 3500 block of Valerie Drive, has ended.
Fry said the dog has been declared vicious. The owners have 10 days to appeal that designation.
Being declared vicious means certain restrictions for the dog, such as it must be muzzled in public and has to be fenced in.
The Mahoning County Coroner’s Office ruled the death of Aiden accidental, saying the dog picked up the baby by the head as he was sleeping in a clothes basket. The family did not have a crib or bassinet.
Patricia Grim, grandmother of Aiden, said she is happy the dog was returned to the family, but she disagreed with the designation it is vicious.
“He’s just so happy to be here,” she said of the dog, which is about 3 years old and is a mixed breed.
The dog’s owner, James Grim, Patricia’s son, will appeal the vicious-dog designation, she said. She said some of the restrictions for keeping the dog, such as building a fence or getting it neutered, may be costly for her son.
“I don’t know where he’s going to come up with all the money, but he’s not a vicious dog,” Patricia Grim said.
Dr. Joseph Ohr, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Aiden, and Fry both said the dog was very friendly and showed no signs of being aggressive. Fry said the dog has been well-behaved at the pound and friendly.
When making his ruling on Aiden’s death, Dr. Ohr said witnesses told investigators the dog was “mouthy,” or was known to pick up objects in its mouth and take them to people to try to get attention.
Fry said she was guided by Ohio law in declaring the dog vicious and she also consulted with prosecutors before making the designation. Fry said under Ohio law, an unprovoked dog that kills or injures a person is considered vicious and she felt bound by that.
She said James Grim paid a $150 quarantine fee and got a new license for the dog.
“These people have called on an almost daily basis wanting the dog back,” Fry said. “In their defense, the dog was very nice.”