Florida boy, 8, ‘maliciously mauled’ to death by dogs he stopped to pet while riding bike: sheriff
Eight-year-old Fboy was “brutally mauled and killed” after he stopped cycling to pet two dogs at the entrance to Florida quarter on Monday, according to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
Michael Millett was riding his bike with a friend in the Berry Ridge neighborhood of DeLand about 4:55 p.m. Monday when he was “maliciously mauled” at the scene by two dogs that at first appeared friendly, Chitwood said.
“It goes from a petting and a very friendly encounter to the dogs becoming very, very, very mean and very violent,” Chitwood said at a news conference Tuesday.
Millett was bitten 12 times by two dogs, which have been identified as pit bull terriers, and possibly a catahoula, or some other herding breed.
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Michael Millett, 8, died after being bitten 12 times by two dogs after he stopped to pet them while riding his bike in his neighborhood. (GoFundMe)
Chitwood said he wasn’t sure how long the attack lasted, but he didn’t think the boy suffered for long because his injuries were “just horrible.”
“We will do everything humanly possible to hold the owner of these dogs accountable and we will do everything in our power to make sure these dogs are destroyed,” the sheriff said.
The dogs were eventually taken by Volusia County Animal Services after deputies chased them back to their property, and VCAS Director Angela Miedema said the agency is waiting for the owner to sign the dogs over for “humane euthanasia.”
“Every single one of his 12 bite wounds was taken for DNA so we can conclusively say that these two dogs that they have in custody are the dogs responsible for Michael’s death,” the sheriff said.
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The owner, who has the option of appealing under the legal process, is known to the police and has been arrested nine times in the past for various reasons drug charges, domestic violence and assault, according to Chitwood.
She was not on her property at the time of the attack or when the dogs escaped back to her home, which is about half a mile from where Millett was killed.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood showed video of deputies approaching the two dogs responsible for killing 8-year-old Michael Millett. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office / bodycam)
State attorneys are involved in the investigation, and Chitwood said his priorities are to make sure the owner is charged and the dogs were “destroyed”.
“She needs to be held accountable,” Chitwood said. “We have to prove negligence as the bottom bar.”
When deputies and animal control officers arrived at the property to seize the dogs, they noticed the property was not fully fenced and the dogs could have easily gotten out, which was confirmed by neighbors who told authorities the dogs regularly run loose.
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“As we went door to door last night, we heard horror stories about dogs always on the loose, destroying chickens,” Chitwood said Tuesday, adding that the dogs were likely involved in another incident in another county.
Despite reports that the dogs were often roaming, Chitwood said there were no calls to 911 to the sheriff’s office or animal services about the animals or their home address.
Volusia County Animal Services Director Angela Miedema said the two dogs were humanely seized from their home. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office / bodycam)
“Clearly this didn’t happen in a vacuum,” Chitwood said. – These dogs have been terrorizing the neighborhood for some time and no one decided to call us.
The only dog-related 911 call Chitwood was aware of was the one from Monday reporting the attack on Millett, in which his mother can be heard screaming for help in the background.
She reportedly jumped on top of him to stop the attack and attempted CPR, which was unsuccessful as he died at the scene. The dogs never attacked the mother or other children in the area, and Chitwood said he’s not sure why Millett was the only one bitten.
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A fatal dog bite expert is working with the county medical examiner to determine more details about the fatal incident, including which dog attacked first and which caused the most bites.
“Pet ownership is a huge responsibility,” Miedema said. “You have a lot of responsibility as a dog owner to keep your animal confined on your property and ensure the safety of the public, as well as ensure things like socialization and training to make sure that this animal is not a threat to anyone else .”
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood (right) and Volusia County Animal Services Director Angela Miedema (left) said they are working to hold the dog’s owner responsible for the deadly attack. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook)
A GoFundMe set up for Millett’s parents by other family members described his death as a “tragic accident” and devastating.
“Our family is devastated by the loss of Michael,” reads the fundraiser, which has raised more than $40,000. “He was incredibly smart, funny, caring, loving and so adventurous. Michael’s infectious laugh and light will be sorely missed.”
