Yuba County DA: No Criminal Negligence In Dog Mauling Death Of Boy
YUBA COUNTY (CBS13) — Prosecutors have decided not to file charges against a Yuba County woman whose half-brother was mauled to death by dogs under her care.
The case not only dealt with the death of a 9-year-old, but it's left his sister not knowing what will happen to her.
Tyler Trammel, 9, died on Jan. 3 after being attacked by his sister's three pit bulls after he was left alone inside a trailer while she went to work. Two of the dogs were in a secured kennel, but broke out.
The Yuba County District Attorney says she was trying to get her brother out of the foster care system, and that she loves and misses him, but never intended to cause her harm.
The emotional months have been filled with public scrutiny, but Friday brought good news for Alexandria Griffin Heady and her family. While the Yuba County District Attorney announced there would be no charges, the pain will remain.
"The home that we lived in or we were getting ready to live in his room, all his stuff that's the hard part," she said.
Yuba County District Attorney Patrick McGrath says in order to file charges, his office would have to find criminal negligence. The evidence would have to show Heady had a clear disregard for human life, or that showed the pit bulls attacking Trammel seemed to be predictable.
The circumstances didn't meet that standard.
"There were numerous witnesses that were interviewed about history of dogs and there was nothing there to show pattern of aggression or anything that would place ms griffin heady on some type of notice that this was foreseeable," he said.
Now Heady says Trammel's happy and silly way about him is now a heartbreaking memory. She's doing her best to stay strong.
"My strength comes from my family, still here, still fighting. They mean the world for me. The world," she said.
