3-year-old girl mauled by family dogs while visiting father for Christmas: ‘My baby is dead’
A three-year-old girl was killed in a vicious dog attack while visiting her father’s apartment in Ohio over Christmas.
The panicked father called Cincinnati police on December 27 after discovering blood all over his living room. His toddler daughter, Kingsley Wright, was already dead on the floor.
“My baby is dead,” he told the dispatcher. “This must be a fucking nightmare.”
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office ruled that little Kingsley was mauled by the family’s three dogs. The Researcher reported this.
Kingsley’s mother Gina Smith had driven her from their home in Wilmington to her father’s apartment in Roselawn on December 23 to celebrate the holidays.
Smith said WLWT television that Kingsley was spending time with the family over the holidays, but she had no idea the dogs in the house were dangerous.
She noted that Kingsley was staying at the house “for the first time ever.”
The last time Smith spoke to her daughter was said to be via a FaceTime call before Kingsley went to bed Thursday night.
Kingsley Wright, 3, was tragically killed in a vicious dog attack last Friday while staying at her father’s Ohio apartment “for the first time ever” to celebrate the holidays
Her father, who remains unnamed, called Cincinnati police in a panic Friday morning after walking into his living room and discovering blood everywhere while his daughter was already dead on the floor.
“It’s just been one big roller coaster,” Smith said The researcher. “I feel like we’ll never get rid of it.”
At around 7.50am on Friday, Kingsley’s father came across the gruesome scene and later told police that there appeared to have been no break-in all night as the front door was still locked.
Dispatchers told him to put away any pets in the house before authorities arrived on the scene, to which he responded that all three dogs — which he said were terriers — were already in their cages.
“That’s why I’m thinking, did one of my pets attack her or something?” he said during the conversation. “I would have heard this.”
Family members and friends have since been embroiled in a Facebook debate over whether the three family dogs were pit bulls, XL bullies or Cane Corsos – both of which are pit bull variants. Animals reported 24-7.
“These types of dogs weigh over 100 pounds, so they just sat on her and started mauling her?” Joshua Justice, Smith’s boyfriend, told WLWT.
Gina Smith, Kingsley’s mother, tragically spoke to her daughter for the last time over a FaceTime call before Kingsley went to bed the night before the fatal attack
Dispatchers told Kingsley’s father to put away any pets in the house before authorities arrived on scene, to which he responded that all three dogs – which he said were terriers – were already in their cages.
‘Did they crush her? And why?’ he added. “Why did they want to do that to a little baby sleeping on the couch?”
Cincinnati Animal CARE was called shortly after the discovery to remove the three dogs from the home and take them to the animal shelter for a 10-day state-mandated quarantine period.
Kingsley’s mother received a message from the girl’s older sister that same morning, telling her to call because it was about her daughter.
She was then told that Kingsley had died and that the girl’s father had been taken by police for questioning.
The coroner did not allow Smith to see her daughter after the attack because of the serious injuries.
Smith told WLWT that leaving Kingsley in the house where she was mauled by three dogs was “the last time I had to say goodbye to my baby.”
“I told her I loved her, and that I would see her in a few days,” she added.
“I wouldn’t have left my baby around mean dogs,” she told the outlet. ‘Why would I do that?’
It has been debated whether the dogs were terriers, pit bulls or some form of pit bull variants, but all three have since been taken to an animal shelter to be held for a state-mandated ten-day quarantine period.
Joshua Justice (pictured), identified as Smith’s current boyfriend, told WLWT, “Why did they want to do that to a little baby sleeping on the couch?”
Although no arrests have been made in connection with Kingsley’s death, the department’s homicide unit was called to investigate and has since been in contact with her family.
Smith’s only response to those who wonder how this could have happened is, “I don’t know.”
“For that poor baby to be attacked by dogs like that and for him not to hear it, you know, that’s what I question,” she told The Enquirer.
She hopes that in the course of the investigation the police will find answers to all the questions that concern her.
Three days after the fatal attack, a detective told Smith they had a security camera in the living room that showed her daughter sleeping on the couch, WLWT reported.
“He is devastated and understands and deeply regrets all the feelings of her mother and mother’s family,” a friend of the father, Calissa H, said online.
‘This is a nightmare as he has just learned that Kingsley is his daughter. He was so excited for her to spend time with him and meet her sister and family. He feels it’s his fault that he can’t protect her.’
Kingsley’s mother told The Enquirer: “For that poor baby to be attacked by dogs like that and for him not to hear it, you know, that’s what I question.”
Although no arrests have been announced in connection with Kingsley’s death, the department’s homicide unit was called to investigate and has since been in contact with her family.
Despite losing her daughter in such a horrific way, Smith said she is still grateful for all the support she has received from the community.
She said several people made stickers in Kingsley’s honor and a childhood friend gave her a blanket decorated with photos of her daughter.
‘She was happy. She loved to sing, she loved to dance,” Smith told the outlet. “She just put a big smile on a lot of people’s faces.”
Lisa Colina, a spokesperson for the animal shelter, told the outlet that the dogs will be held at the shelter until they receive further direction from police, rather than euthanizing them right away.
She is not aware of any other previous issues involving the dogs.