Owner fined in fatal
dog attack on Kauai

The man also receives six months'
probation in the toddler's death

LIHUE » The owner of a dog that killed a child on a Kauai farm last year paid a $605 fine and received a sentence of six months probation yesterday.

Buenaventura Ednilao owned the dog that mauled 17-month-old Trusten Heart Liddle, who was playing on his family's farm adjacent to Ednilao's.

District Judge Trudy K. Senda said she believes the 69-year-old farmer had no idea his dog was dangerous before the attack last February, and she doesn't expect to see Ednilao in criminal court again.

Senda said Ednilao "was not in a position" to know the dog was dangerous. "It was clear that no individual ever brought that to the defendant," she said.

Ednilao's dog, Brownie, a mixed-breed dog, was euthanized at Ednilao's request. Four other dogs on the Moloaa farm, where Brownie was kept for security, were given to the Kauai Humane Society.

Senda also said "Ednilao is extremely remorseful" over the "extremely tragic set of occurrences."

In February 2004, Liddle was bitten by the basset hound/shepherd mix, which had been kept on a chain.

Ednilao's lawyer, Charles O'Neill, said in court that his client "lacked any knowledge that the dog was dangerous" and cooperated fully with the investigation, including getting rid of the dogs.

O'Neill would not comment further after court proceedings.

The Liddle family was not in court, and their lawyer, Susan Marshall, did not return a call seeking comment.

No restitution in the case was asked by the family, but a civil suit is likely. The no contest plea that prosecutors accepted can not be used as evidence in any civil court proceeding.