Child Endangerment Charges Facing Parents of Infant Attacked by Pet Ferret

Do you have a family pet?  Chances are if you do, it's probably a dog or a cat-- maybe a guinea pig or a hamster.  Some people love to be creative and exotic with their choice of family pet.  But how often do you think of your children's safety.  Most people probably think it will never happen to them-- until it does.

A Grain Valley couple is facing charges of first-degree child endangerment after their child suffered severe bite injuries to his hand and fingers from family's pet ferret. The four-month-old boy was napping when he was attacked by the ferret.  The ferret had nibbled several of the child's fingers off by the time the child woke up screaming.  The child's parents claimed to be sleeping when they were awoken by the infant's screams. The mother found the baby covered in blood and missing several fingers.

The infant was rushed to the hospital because seven of his fingers required surgery to complete the amputation process because the ferret had chewed the fingers down to the knuckle.

 

The couple was arrested after conflicting reports. They claim the ferret has never bitten anyone. However, someone from an animal rescue organization told police the family's landlord had recently contacted the group claiming the family wanted to give up the ferret since it had bitten the baby twice.

 

Cellphone records for the parents and have confirmed the parents were actually exchanging text messages from several different areas.  Pending an investigation into the overall safety of the home, the infant and another sibling have been removed from the parents' custody.

 

Our experienced Kansas City Child Injury Attorneys know that protecting your child is your number one priority and we want to be able to help you when your child is injured. More importantly, we want to help prevent the injury. As parents we know that protecting your home is a full time job. There are many ways you can protect your child from being injured by tipping furniture or falling appliances. But no matter what you do, kids will get into something. Part of protecting your child is making sure they are in a safe environment and this includes the kind of pets you allow in your home. Make sure the animals you have are child and age appropriate. It might seem cool and fun to have exotic animals but be sure your child will be safe around them.

If a child you love has suffered a serious injury in an accident caused by negligence in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Call our experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers. With over 15 years of experience in Child Injury Accidents, we may be able to help you and your family get through this difficult and often stressful time.

 

Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to set up a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim. You can get started today by downloading our free book, "10 Essential Steps to Protecting Your Injury Claim". We want you to know your rights.

 

Visit Roswold Foundation for Injured Children.