An 8-year-old boy, Michael Millett, tragically lost his life after being “maliciously mauled” by two loose dogs in a horrifying attack near Deland, Florida. Michael was riding his bike on Monday evening when he stopped to pet the dogs, described as a Pit Bull Terrier and a Catahoula, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
The encounter turned violent, with the boy suffering twelve bite wounds before nearby residents attempted CPR and called authorities. Despite their efforts, Michael succumbed to his injuries. “It goes from petting, and a very friendly encounter, to the dogs becoming very, very, very vicious and very violent,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said, to Spectrum News 13.
The dogs were captured and are currently in the custody of the county’s Animal Services agency. Sheriff Chitwood vowed to hold the dogs’ owner accountable, stating: “We are going to do everything humanly possible to hold the owner of these dogs responsible, and we are going to do everything possible to make sure that these dogs are destroyed.
Every one of his 12 bite wounds have been swabbed for DNA so we can conclusively say that these two dogs…are responsible for Michael’s death.” Authorities identified the dog’s owner as a 31-year-old woman with an extensive criminal history.
Sheriff Chitwood criticized the lack of action leading up to the tragedy, noting, “These dogs have been terrorizing this neighborhood for a while and no one decided to call us.” Michael’s family is heartbroken. Jackie Hart, his great-aunt, said, “My great-nephew is gone.
We can’t get him back. [He’s] just the kind of kid you want to give a hug to because he’s so funny and caring and… and now he’s gone.” A GoFundMe page was created by a relative, Jackie Pasquale Hart, to assist the family with funeral and medical expenses, as well as to support Michael’s parents, Tiffani and Michael, and their two other children during this difficult time.
The fundraiser has already garnered £50,000 in donations. “Michael was incredibly smart, funny, caring, loving, and so adventurous,” the GoFundMe page reads. “Michael’s contagious laugh and light will be missed tremendously.”
Sheriff Chitwood expressed the community’s shared grief, saying, “I don’t know what anyone can say to ease the immense pain this family is feeling tonight. This is a tragedy beyond comprehension, especially for those of us who are parents and grandparents.”