A Wildwood man was arrested after allegedly passing out drunk, letting a child wander out to be bitten by a dog.
A deputy responded to a juvenile call for service at an undisclosed RV park on State Road 44 in Wildwood at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. A neighbor advised that 42-year-old P had not been taking care of the male juvenile victim.
The neighbor explained that P had been drinking all day and slept on the couch instead of watching the juvenile victim while his wife was at work. While he was drunk and asleep, the juvenile victim wandered off and got bitten by a dog on his right hand. He was also scared to go home to P, the report said.
The juvenile victim’s 21-year-old sister added that he had almost been hit by three cars. While pregnant, she had to watch him every day because all P did was drink. P had also been violent toward the child due to the drinking, the report said.
She had a video of P sleeping while the juvenile victim was out running around, came to her house after being bitten and was still outside by himself while P slept. P did not drop off the juvenile victim, but rather the neighbor walked him over because he was wandering around, the report said.
In the video surveillance, the juvenile victim stated P was asleep, so he left their trailer to play around in the RV park. He was out when a dog bit him. The sister then walked over to P’s residence, where the door was completely open. The video clearly showed P passed out drunk on the couch, the report said.
The juvenile victim told the deputy that P just slept all day without watching him. During this conversation, the deputy noticed his eyes were swollen and bruised, and he had a bite mark on his hand. He stated P punched his face twice and that a dog bit his hand, the report said.
The deputy was later approached by an independent witness, who stated the juvenile victim had been around her camper a couple of roads around the block. He was dirty and shoeless, so she asked him to take her to whoever watched him. He took the witness to his sister, and she stated P was home to watch him, the report said.
The witness followed the juvenile victim to his RV, where she saw P moving around. He ignored her and the child. After this, the juvenile victim followed her back to her camper. He left for the fire pit after she told him to stay, and he never came back, the report said.
The deputy noted that the door to P’s camper was wide open with no signs of him. He ultimately came outside while the deputy spoke to other people. He itched his eyes and appeared to be intoxicated, the report said.
P was arrested on charges of abuse child without great bodily harm and neglect child without great bodily harm. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center with bond set at $5,000.
Children are especially vulnerable in dog bite cases, often suffering injuries to the face, head, or neck. These injuries can require extensive medical care, reconstructive procedures, and emotional counseling. At Ovadia Law Group, we approach child dog bite cases with compassion and determination. A trusted dog bite lawyer can evaluate whether the dog owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. In some cases, landlords or property owners may also share responsibility if they allowed dangerous animals on their premises. Pursuing a legal claim can help families recover compensation to support their child’s medical and emotional recovery. Our legal team works closely with families to reduce stress and manage all aspects of the legal process. Ovadia Law Group believes that children injured by dog attacks deserve justice and protection. If your child has been bitten by a dog, call us at 1‑800‑674‑9396 for a free consultation.
Source: Village-news
