Police identify boy mauled by dogs; mother allegedly left child in trampoline

Police identified the 4-year-old boy mauled and killed by a pack of dogs as Jacob Brooks.

“The child had been left by his mother in an enclosed trampoline in the backyard where there were four dogs,” police said in a news release.

It happened Thursday evening at a home on the 9100 block of Morelia in El Paso’s lower valley. Police confirmed the boy was found dead at the scene.

Investigators told ABC-7 the four dogs belong to the homeowner and the boy lived at the home. “The child’s mother was placed into protective custody and turned over to medical professionals at medical facility,” police said.

ABC-7 spoke with a neighbor who said he witnessed the attack and his own brother tried to jump the fence to help the little boy.

Sebastian Hernandez, 15, said he was eating in his kitchen when he saw the commotion through the window. Moments later his 13-year-old brother managed to get one of the dogs off the little boy, but had to immediately protect himself because the dog tried to bite him.

“Those dogs were really crazy, they were always biting on each other,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said his brother went inside their home and “he didn’t have anything to say, he was still in shock.”

Hernandez said when first responders arrived he saw the boy’s older sister standing outside. “She was standing there looking at the little boy.”

“Everything went by so fast. I’m still shaking and I haven’t been able to sleep at all because it’s shocking,” Herandez said.

Hernandez’s grandmother told ABC-7 she knew the family and had a friendly relationship with them, but had brought it to their attention that the dogs were aggressive and always escaping the backyard.

“They’ve even come into our yard and backyard,” Hernandez said.

Another neighbor said he had just finished running errands when he arrived home and saw all the police activity. Antonio Perez didn’t know the family personally, but remembered seeing children play outside on occasion.

“We’re really sad for the family and what happened to the boy,” Perez said.

Animal Control has taken control of the four dogs.

Crimes Against Persons is investigating.