Local baby recovering after a vicious dog attack
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Anita AlQuattan is recovering in the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City after being severely mauled by a dog.
The baby was rushed to the hospital where she had emergency surgery. The doctors discovered her skull was fractured and her brain was leaking fluid, so she was flown to Primary Children's hospital in Salt Lake.
Last weekend, a trusted friend offered to watch the 1-year-old.
"We saw her standing outside and of course, we went to talk to her like we normally do, went to say hi to her and stuff, and of course her dog is around her," Anita's Mom, Ricki Fielder said. "He's off leash so the dog just pretty much sticks around by her side and she's like, 'I would like to see my granddaughter'. We're not related but that's how she looks at Anita. She's like, 'I would like to watch her for a bit, do you guys have anything you want to go do?' and I was like, 'oh that sounds great, me and my husband haven't had an evening out in awhile.'"
It was a decision Fielder says she will regret for the rest of her life.
On the way home from their date night, the parents received a call no parent ever wants to hear; get home now, your daughter has been hurt. A devastating injury to a baby is one of the most heartbreaking things a family can go through.
"It's horrifying, it just feels like a nightmare that we can't wake up from," Fielder said.
Fielder says they are trying to recover from the trauma of it all and move forward so they can be strong for their daughter as she recovers.
"She's such a good little girl, she didn't deserve this. Nobody deserves this," Fielder said. "No family should have to go through this. She is such a good girl, she is so kind and nice. It's hard to see her, you know, it's hard to see her like this."
The dog was surrendered by the owner and put down. It was an American bulldog, boxer, and pit bull mix. The owners rescued it after it had been abused. Though the dog never showed signs of aggressiveness toward Anita or her family, Fielder says she later discovered the dog bit at least one other person in the past.
She says she wants to share her experiences to help ensure this tragic accident doesn't happen to anyone else.
Anita is getting stronger every day and she is expected to make a full recovery. She is making good progress and is walking and starting to eat. Doctors late this afternoon made the decision that she would need to go back into surgery tomorrow to remove another part of her lip that did not recover.
You can donate to Anita's Go Fund Me page here.
