Knoxville, TN – An infant is dead after being bitten on the head by a pet husky.
Ezra Mansoor, 6-weeks old, passed away Thursday. The attack occurred on May 24 while the infant was sleeping in a crib.
“Ezra was just asleep in his crib — not crying or anything. And she just attacked out of nowhere,” the baby’s mother, Chloe Mansoor said.
The 8-year old female husky is being held in a bite quarantine at the Young-Williams Animal Center. Chole said the dog had not shown aggression in the past.
A GoFundMe created four days ago states:
“On Friday, May 24th, Mark and Chloe’s son Ezra was the victim of a dog attack and is in critical condition at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. He is currently intubated and sedated with life-threatening injuries, the most serious being a brain bleed and brain swelling. Ezra is only 6.5 weeks old and his parents are completely devastated.”
Yesterday, the fund announced the baby’s death. The infant’s organs were donated to other children.
The mother also stated, “It could be any dog at any time.” However, apparently no one warned the young parents about the track record of huskies killing newborns and infants by biting them on the head, specifically when the infant is lying in a crib or bassinet, and specifically when the infant is sleeping.
Ezra’s death marks the third husky-inflicted infant death this year. Brayden Heery, of Milford, Connecticut, was 2-weeks old. Amaya Carmack, of Greenville, Tennessee, was 4-days old.
Despite huskies being infrequently involved in fatal dog maulings in the U.S., they are still among the top killing dog breeds, and they still disproportionately kill infants. From 2005 to present, we’ve recorded approximately 760 dog bite fatalities.
Huskies have been involved in 20 of these deaths, 2.6%. Of the husky victims, 65% (13 of 20) were infants ≤11 months old and 90% (18) were ages ≤5 years old. The two adult deaths involved a multi-breed attack, each involving at least one pit bull.
Of the 13 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 92% (12) have information about the victim’s surroundings. 10 deaths, 83%, involved the infant lying in a bassinet, baby carrier, crib or inside a playpen at the time. 2 deaths, 17%, involved the baby “resting in a bedroom.”
At least 11 of the 13 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 85%, involved the infant sleeping at the time. Presumably, the infant was not crying or emitting any sounds. Further, one of the infant’s parents is typically close by, such as in the next room.
Over the 19-year period of 2005-2023, infant killings (≤11 months old) among the other top-killing dog breeds — pit bulls, rottweilers, mixed-breeds, German shepherds, mastiff/bullmastiff, and American bulldogs — ranges from 2% to 21% of their victims.
The husky percentage of infant killings, 65%, is quite high in comparison. Only 8% of pit bull victims are infants; only 14% of rottweiler victims are infants. Most of the 13 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 85% (11), are neonates too (≤1 month old).
