Salt Lake City, UT -
Tragedy has struck a Salt Lake City neighborhood. In the early morning hours of a sleepy pre-Christmas weekend, the home of Jon Howard, a single father, went from cozy family bungalow to crime scene in mere moments.
“I knew it was going to happen. I told him so at least [a] hundred times.” Said neighbor Abby DeVeaux. “Does anyone listen to me, though?” Apparently not.
Sometime before 7:00 AM while father Jon was preparing breakfast for himself and his infant son, Andre, their family pet went from cuddly companion to vicious predator. Andre was reclining on his circular baby pillow in the living room just ten feet from the kitchen where his father toiled. That is when their dog, a pit bull named Wigglebutt (he is also known as Wiggles, or Wig), attacked.
“I turned my back for just a second, and then it was happening. They're always together. I don't think Wig has been away from Andre for more than an hour or so since he was born.” Said the distraught dad. “I heard crying and I came running.”
We would like to warn our readers that the descriptions of the events that followed are disturbing and likely to cause a deep emotional response.
The living room had become a living nightmare. The pit bull Wiggles was viciously attacking baby Andre, jumping back and forth to attack the squalling infant from different angles. Every time he would attempt to raise his feeble little arms to defend himself, the powerful animal was either coming around the defenses or bull rushing through them like an angry defensive lineman.
Perhaps the most offensive part of this tragedy is Jon Howard's response. “It was actually kind of cute.”
Police first became involved when Gideon Jones overheard Jon recounting the story to his friend Robert Green, 55. Gideon had previously had run ins with Wiggles living on the same street as the dangerous beast.
“[Wigglebutt] escaped from Jon's backyard, once.” Gideon told the Leaky Wiki. “He was running around, too fast and powerful to be caught.” It should be noted Gideon bravely fought off tears while retelling the story of that fateful day. “I was walking my dog Woodie Allen,” A chihuahua, “when that thing came at us. He scared poor Woodie half to death. My poor little guy had no choice but to bite him.” The bite deeply offended Gideon, a vocal vegan who doesn't believe in violence.
The police arrived later that afternoon to investigate the situation. They spoke with Gideon and corroborated the vicious nature of the animal with the aforementioned Ms. DeVeaux.
“We never like to get involved in people's personal lives.” Officer James Reffield informed the Leaky Wiki. “But in cases where the public is in imminent danger, well, that's what we're here for.”
Although at first uneasy about entering a home where a pit bull was in residence, the officers at the scene were able to holster their weapons when they realized that Wigglebutt had been kenneled before Jon answered the door.
Although no action was taken at that first meeting, police consider the case to be ongoing. “We couldn't make any arrests or detain the animal for euthanasia because we just couldn't find any evidence of the severity of the crime.” Reffield's partner, Sergeant Gillian Weiss said. “Mr. Howard must have been very busy cleaning before we arrived.”
Photographs of Andre after the attack were not released to the media on account of his young age, although it is clear the child will suffer long term emotional scarring from the attack.
“I've never wanted that damn dog around my son.” Said Andre's mother, Jessica Warson. “Its why I left Jon in the first place. I told him it was me or that dog, and the idiot chose the dog.” Jessica, in obvious duress over concern for her son, scratched incessantly from nervousness for the duration of our conversation with her.
When asked if he would fight the police into the court room if they attempted to seize the animal or to remove Andre from his custody, the man's sordid past as an ex-convict came into nauseatingly plain view for all to see.
“Anybody who wants to try and take my son or my dog from me is in for the fight of their life. You can count on that.” Was Mr. Howard's last response to the Leaky Wiki.
Going back to the beginning of the investigation, we tracked down Jon's friend Robert Green to ask him his opinion.
“I think its ridiculous. This whole thing is ridiculous. A dog licks a baby, and this. Don't you people have something better to do? I'm too old for this [expletive deleted].”
The case is ongoing.