Independence girl, 5, continues to recover from severe attack by neighborhood dog
An Independence girl critically injured in an attack by a dog earlier this month is still fighting for her life as doctors begin to bring her out of a medically induced coma.
The child, identified by family as 5-year-old Aletha, was mauled while playing in the backyard of her home on Oct. 8 in the 19000 block of East R.D. Mize Road in Independence. The attack occurred shortly after 10 a.m.
Aletha’s father, Thomas. said that the dog had belonged to the boyfriend of one of their neighbors, and had been staying at the home of the neighbor living directly behind Aletha. Thomas’ wife had been watching Aletha from the back porch when the dog, who was not on a leash, entered the yard and attacked her.
Aletha was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital, where doctors put her into a medically-induced coma. Aletha’s skull was fractured in the attack, according to a GoFundMe set up by employees at Appliance Care Company in Belton, where Aletha’s father works as an appliance technician.
The dog also broke Aletha’s collarbone and one of her ribs, according to the GoFundMe. Taylor also said that she had suffered some sort of laceration to the neck.
Appliance Care Company owner Brien Pipper said earlier this month that doctors at Children’s Mercy are still determining the full extent of Aletha’s injuries.
“Because of the loss of blood and oxygen, doctors fear Aletha may have suffered permanent brain damage,” Andy Davies, another ACC employee, wrote on the fundraiser page.
However, doctors have begun to slowly reduce the medication keeping Aletha in a coma, her father Thomas said Tuesday. In addition, Aletha has begun to open her eyes for short periods of time, Thomas said.
“She seems to look around the ceiling with confusion,” Thomas wrote Tuesday on GoFundMe. “She then looks at me as I’m talking to her, and will thereafter fade back to rest.”
On the day of the attack, the dog had jumped over the fence into Aletha’s yard and seized her by the neck, according to Pipper.
“It took the dog owner to finally come outside and jump over the fence into Thomas’ property and stick his hands inside the dog’s mouth to pull the jaws off the little girl,” Pipper told The Star earlier this month. “Then what I understand is that the owner of the dog then picked the dog up and threw the dog back over on the other side of the fence.”
After the attack, another person on the scene put the dog into a kennel, Taylor said, after which it was taken away by animal control officers.
About 8% of people injured in dog bite attacks nationwide need emergency medical care, with children at particular risk of serious injury, according to the World Animal Foundation.
The city of Independence does not require dogs to be licensed.
On Oct. 9, Aletha underwent surgery to relieve pressure on her brain due to her injuries, Thomas previously shared through Pipper. After the surgery, Aletha’s heart began beating on her own, though she remained on a ventilator.
Aletha’s family remains hopeful that she will recover.
“Everyday she makes improvements, even if they are small ones,” Thomas wrote Tuesday. “...Aletha knows she is in a safe place and is surrounded by love.”
The fundraiser benefiting Aletha and her family has raised nearly $19,400 from nearly 300 donations since Oct. 8. Donations will be put toward Aletha’s recovery and medical care, as well as lost wages while Thomas is out of work to care for her.
Cash and check donations are also being accepted at The Appliance Care Company’s store at 706 N. Scott Ave., Belton, Missouri 64012.
This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 5:05 PM.
