The city’s chief medical officer announced that the 1-month-old girl found deceased with dog bites on her face in New York City did not perish from those wounds, which adds a new layer of complexity to the case.
Initially, it was believed that the family’s pit bull–German shepherd mix was responsible for the baby’s tragic death; however, the city’s chief medical officer has since dismissed that hypothesis, leaving the actual cause of death still unknown.
“Further analysis is needed to determine the cause and manner of death, as additional tests will be essential. Nonetheless, the city’s medical examiner has clarified that the infant did not die from a fatal dog attack,” stated the city’s medical examiner to Fox News Digital.
A 1-month-old girl found dead with dog bites on her face in New York City Tuesday did not die from those bites, the city’s chief medical officer said in a shocking twist in the case. (Colin Mixson/New York Daily News via Getty Images; Animal Care Centers of NYC)
The child was pronounced dead by responding EMS workers.
Police said the case is still under investigation, and no arrests have been made.
Winfield’s mother and stepfather were not identified by police.
The city’s Animal Care Centers of NYC was called to take the puppy and another dog out of the apartment.
The organization provided photos of the puppy being handled by a worker and inside a cage.
The infant’s grandmother told the Daily News she had previously offered to take the newborn in while the mom, who was living in a shelter at the time, secured better housing.
The incident happened at 41-01 12th Street, an apartment at the Queensbridge Houses public housing complex. (Google Maps)
“I learned that she was pregnant maybe a couple days before she gave birth,” the grandmother told the outlet. “After she gave birth, she loved the baby. I asked her if she had any problems and if she wanted to give me the baby. She said no, she’d take care of her. She would manage.”
The grandmother said she had not yet gotten to meet her new granddaughter when she learned of her death Tuesday.
“How could they have a dog with a baby?” she asked. “The dog shouldn’t be in the house.”
