Boy Attacked By Pit Bull Home From Hospital, 911 Call Released
DEERFIELD BEACH - (CBSMiami.com) -- An 8-year-old Deerfield Beach boy who was viciously attacked by a pit bull is recovering at home after being hospitalized for the past five days.
Nicholas Garvey walks with a slight limp, but said he's happy to be home with his family and tells CBS4 News that he's hoping he will be able to go trick or treating on Halloween.
"My arms feel good, but I can hardly write with it," Nicholas said. "I can still move my fingers but it hurts."
Nicholas Garvey and two of his friends were riding their bikes up and down the 300 block of SE 1st Terrace on Sunday, October 23rd when a two-year old pit bull managed to get out of its crate and charged the boys. Garvey tried to get away on his bike, but the dog ran after him, knocked him off his bike and bit him. Garvey tried to run to his friend's house but the dog caught him and kept attacking.
The grandmother of his two friends, Sharon Haynes, came to Garvey's rescue and tried to beat the dog away from the boy with a bike.
Haynes' 12-year-old daughter is heard saying, "there's a dog that's biting my friend and he won't stop." Later you hear Sharon Haynes say, "Please, please send someone!"
Haynes says she's glad she was there to save Nicholas.
"If I wasn't there I don't know what would have happened. God put me there for a reason," Haynes said.
On Thursday night, Nicholas and his dad had a chance to thank Sharon Haynes for stepping in.
"I said, 'Thank you, you saved my life and I really appreciate it. I gave her a big hug,'" Nicholas said.
"I don't want to see anybody else go through this. The next time could be fatal," says Brian Garvey.
Police recently released the frantic 911 call made by a neighbor.
One of the boys called 911.
Caller: "There's a dog that's biting my friend and he won't stop."
911: "Is the dog still biting your friend?"
Caller: "Yes, and it won't stop and it just bit my mom."
Later in the call, an adult got on the line.
Caller: "Please, please send someone."
911: "Ma'am, please calm down, calm down."
Caller: "Please"
911: "Okay, where is the child?"
Caller: "He's in my house."
911: "Okay"
Caller: "The dog is still in the front though."
LISTEN: Pitbull Attack 911 Call
The Broward Sheriff's Office said when deputies arrived they chased the pit bull, named Jada, for about two blocks, and as they reached it, it attempted to attack another dog.
Garvey, meanwhile, suffered a broken arm and bites all over his body but was released from the hospital Thursday night.
A court hearing is set for late January on the attack and the dog remains in the care of animal control.
The dog's owner, Jeanette Peterson, said the dog was kept in a cage at her boyfriend's house and she doesn't know how it got out.
She told CBS 4 News she keeps the dog at a different residence because her apartment complex does not allow dogs. Peterson said the dog has never attacked anyone before.
Peterson was cited by Animal Control for failing to register and vaccinate her dog along with failure to control an animal which caused injury to a person. Peterson was also given a Notice to Appear by sheriff's deputies for violating the city's "Dogs running at large" ordinance.
