The dog that killed a 2-month old boy has been euthanized at the family's request yesterday after one of the first fatal dog attacks on Oahu in recent years.

Family Dog Attacks, Kills Baby

 

It happened early Sunday morning in Waianae, police say the animal belonged to the family. It's unclear why the dog attacked the baby.

 

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Kawehi Yim, spokeswoman for the Hawaiian Humane Society, said the dog's owner had stepped forward yesterday afternoon and asked that the dog be euthanized. Yim said she could not release details on who came forward.

“;This brings closure to this part of the investigation,”; Yim said.

Iopeka Liptak was pronounced dead early Sunday morning after the family's dog, described as a mixed breed but not a pit bull, attacked the infant in his Waianae home. Iopeka died from head injuries, the Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office determined yesterday.

His 31-year-old mother and another woman at the home were also treated for dog bites. The attack appeared unprovoked, according to HPD spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter. About four hours after the attack, the Hawaiian Humane Society detained the dog, which was described as a medium-size female.

State and county laws on dangerous pets mandate penalties for the dog's owners if there is an attack, but they do not dictate clear consequences for the animal. That had officials at the Hawaiian Humane Society worried that the decision to euthanize the dog would be left up to them.

For much of the day yesterday, officials at the Humane Society and Honolulu Police Department grappled with the decision to euthanize the dog since the owners had not yet claimed responsibility.

“;I know the public may be thinking, 'Put the dog to sleep already,' but it's not that simple,”; said Maj. Frank Fujii, HPD spokesman, said yesterday morning. “;This is the first dog bite case that I know of that resulted in a death. We're all in uncharted waters.”;

Neighbors had described the dog as noisy and potentially dangerous. Neighbors also said they believed the dog was a pit bull, but Yim confirmed yesterday that it was not.

Police do not plan to press criminal charges against Liptak's family, which refused to talk to reporters, but Fujii said the case is ongoing.

Yim, of the Humane Society, noted that dog attacks are uncommon considering to the number of dogs on Oahu.

“;The dog is shaped by its surrounding and how it's raised,”; Yim said. “;Unfortunate as this is, it makes us realize that having a pet is truly a responsibility of the entire family.”;