A 46-year-old Canadian woman, Crystal MacDonald, has received a two-year sentence of house arrest for criminal negligence in the 2024 death of 11-year-old Kache Grist. The boy died in April 2024 after being mauled by MacDonald's two Cane Corso dogs, Khaos and Kairo, in her Edmonton, Alberta, home. MacDonald was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and received a lifetime ban on owning dogs, with the possibility of appealing the ban in 10 years.

Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence, but Judge Eric Macklin decided against incarceration after reviewing an 'Indigenous Background Report.' This report detailed instances of sexual abuse and racist discrimination MacDonald experienced during her upbringing. MacDonald is of Indigenous heritage.

The incident occurred while Kache was visiting his father, Wesley Grist, MacDonald's roommate at the time. Wesley Grist testified that he was in the garage when Kache went inside the house. Upon entering the house, he discovered his son on the kitchen floor, deceased from bite injuries, with the two dogs nearby.

During her trial, MacDonald stated that the dogs had previously attacked her neighbor and killed two other pets, a Pomeranian and a cat. She testified that she had opposed Kache staying at the house after the prior neighbor attack but that Wesley Grist brought his son over anyway. MacDonald said she repeatedly warned Grist and the boy about the dogs' aggressive history. She also attempted to board the dogs at a kennel before Kache's visit, but they were turned away due to incomplete vaccinations.

MacDonald told the court she put the dogs in their kennels before leaving for work on the day of the attack. She later received a call reporting Kache's death. Images presented in court showed MacDonald being apprehended by police upon her return home. An autopsy confirmed Kache died from severe bite injuries to the neck. The dogs were subsequently euthanized.

MacDonald's lawyer emphasized that the core issue was legal responsibility rather than whether the dogs caused the death. The defense stated MacDonald is deeply remorseful for the harm caused.

MacDonald's lawyer has filed an appeal against her conviction.