Two-year-old savagely mauled to death by two dogs outside motel, owner says 'it's all too much'
COWRA, NEW SOUTH WALES: A two-year-old boy died after being savagely mauled by a pair of dogs at a country roadside motel on Tuesday, November 8.
Jyedon Pollard, 2, was attacked by a rottweiler and a cattle dog in front of his mother, Kesha, and two sisters at the Country Gardens Motor Inn in Cowra, in NSW's central west. It was only when motel owner Matt McIIIhatton intervened that he managed to free the boy and drag the dogs away. The animals latched on to Pollard's face and neck, causing his grievous injuries.
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McIIIhatton rendered first aid and took the dying toddler to Cowra Hospital in a blood-soaked blanket, Chifley police superintendent Bob Noble told media on Tuesday. According to Daily Mail, Pollard was taken to the hospital in critical condition before being airlifted to Westmead Hospital in Sydney where he succumbed to his injuries. “It would be a horrific situation to be confronted by but he acted very bravely and very concisely,” Noble said, adding, “Everyone is devastated, when a child so young dies in such terrible fashion, it’s upsetting to a lot of people.”
A devastated Mclllhatton is also helping police and council investigators but admitted that it was overwhelming. "Sorry... It's all too much," He told the DailyMail. During the investigation, the police learned that grief-stricken Kesha had been living at the motel temporarily with Pollard and her two daughters Aaliyah, 9, and Tahaleaha, 5, as they waited for a permanent home to move into. Kesha’s relative said that the dogs were considered harmless and the children had played with the dogs on numerous occasions without incident. They described it as a "freak attack" that happened "for no known reason," they told The Daily Telegraph. "He's the most precious and beautiful kid, no one can believe it's happened to him," they reportedly said.
A local told Nine News, "I saw the kids screaming. I looked out the window across the road and I saw some guy carrying a little kid who was absolutely screaming and people were panicked."
However, with no direct witnesses or CCTV footage, police said that it was difficult to determine whether the dogs broke free or Pollard wandered into their path. "The two dogs were secured in a yard and what led to the attack will be investigated," Noble said, as per Daily Mail. He added, "It is an extremely unfortunate set of circumstances that led to this tragedy and it was a super-human effort to try to save his life. It would be a horrific situation to be confronted by but he acted very bravely and very concisely. Everyone is devastated when a child so young dies in such a terrible fashion. It's upsetting to a lot of people."
The two dogs were taken to the Cowra pound and have been put down. The death of the young boy has left the close-knit community devastated. To help the grief-stricken mother, two of her friends, Takeia Whiting and Caitlin Makepeace, have now set up a GoFundMe page. It had raised more than $5,000 within a few hours. "We have taken it upon ourselves to start a GoFundMe page to help with any expenses upcoming and to help support Jyedon's family," they posted.