A Colorado family is contending with approximately $300,000 in medical bills following a severe dog attack on their 2-year-old daughter, Lily Dean. The incident occurred on August 11, 2024, in the Dean family's Castle Rock backyard during a birthday celebration for their twins. The family states that Ragnar, a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department K-9, escaped his yard and jumped a fence, attacking Lily.
Nick Dean, Lily's father, recounted that he intervened to protect his daughter, describing how he met the dog after it had already attacked Lily and was dragging her. He stated that three male party attendees then subdued the animal. During the struggle, Nick Dean reported hearing Lily's femur bone crack. He also sustained injuries to his chest, neck, back, and hip while attempting to stop the attack. Lily suffered deep lacerations to her stomach and a punctured femur. Nick Dean continues to experience chronic pain and psychological effects, including PTSD.
The dog's handler, Deputy Zachary Oliver, lived next door. Prosecutors charged Oliver in connection with the incident, but a jury acquitted him. His defense argued that his county contract protected him from criminal liability. Following the trial, Oliver has since left the sheriff's office, and Ragnar was retired from duty. The family notes that Oliver and Ragnar moved away from the neighborhood nine months after the attack.
The Dean family had hoped the county would assist with their mounting medical costs. However, an attorney for Jefferson County informed the Deans’ lawyer that the county does not use taxpayer funds to cover claims when it holds no legal liability. A GoFundMe campaign established by the family to help with expenses had raised over $67,000 as of Monday. The family has stated that the total medical bills have reached $300,000.
