An Indiana father has been sentenced to jail after accepting a plea deal in the death of his one-week-old son, who was fatally attacked by the family dog.
Austin Kinsey was charged in the death of Jason Anthony Weaver, who died on September 4th from blunt-force trauma wounds inflicted by the dog, named Chomp. Kinsey was initially charged with two counts of neglect and one count of harboring a non-immunized dog that injured someone. His plea deal resulted in a dismissal of the highest-level neglect charge in exchange for a 16-year sentence at the Indiana Department of Correction.
Violet Weaver, the baby's mother, faces a level six felony neglect of a dependent charge and has a change of plea hearing scheduled for later this month. Other family members arrested in connection with the baby's death include grandparents Timothy Kinsey, Rita Wickey, and Michael Wickey, along with uncle Tony Kinsey. Rita and Michael Wickey each face an infraction for harboring a non-immunized dog.
According to a police report, authorities arrived at the family's home in Markle, Indiana, following the attack. An officer described the home as having a "strong odor of animal, trash and dirt everywhere." The officer attempted CPR on the infant before medics arrived. The baby was transported to a Fort Wayne hospital, where he later died.
An autopsy revealed that Jason suffered more than 180 abrasions and numerous bruises on his neck, torso, back, and limbs, along with severe internal injuries including brain hemorrhages, fractured ribs, and tears in his lungs. Chomp, a five-year-old husky-pit bull mix, was reportedly gentle with the baby but had a history of jealousy and aggression towards other animals. The dog had also been involved in previous incidents.
During the investigation, police learned that Austin Kinsey was playing video games in the living room when his son, left in a car seat, was attacked. The baby's grandfather, Timothy Kinsey, reportedly found the dog dragging the infant across the floor and immediately directed someone to call for an ambulance.
Family members told police they had considered getting rid of the dog before the infant was born. One family member reportedly stated that Austin Kinsey was aware of the need to euthanize the dog but "couldn't bring himself to get rid of his best friend."
A police report indicated the family's home was uninhabitable. Officers observed mountains of trash, cockroaches, and bugs inside the infant's car seat, with debris making it difficult to navigate the residence. The Huntington County Health Department had previously ordered the family to vacate the home.
Chomp was removed from the residence and taken to the Huntington County Animal Shelter. After showing no signs of aggression or rabies, the dog was euthanized.
