Child dies from wolf-dog bites

Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Andre Thomas

A 13-month-old Mountain Home child was killed Sunday morning after being mauled by a wolf-dog hybrid at a home in Boise where his mother was staying.

Andre "Harry" Angel Thomas, son of Raul Lopez and Starla Thomas, of Mountain Home was pronounced dead at a Boise hospital.

The official cause of death was listed as a bite to the child's jugular vein. In addition, the Ada County coroner reported the child had suffered over 100 "nip-like" bites from the hybrid animal, which was described as 90 percent wolf, 10 percent dog.

Boise police said the dog had been involved in a biting incident with a 7-year-old last November. It was taken Sunday to the Ada County Humane Society Shelter were it was expected to be put down.

The child's mother, Starla Thomas, had been invited, along with several other people, to the home of Brandon Jenkins, 28, on Frederick Street in Boise, to watch an NBA playoff game. After the others left, she stayed for the evening, police said.

Police said Jenkins smoked a small amount of marijuana and the two consumed several beers before retiring shortly after 11 p.m. At that time, Thomas placed the infant on the couch in the living room of the home, which is shared by Jenkins with Thomas Cleverly, 25, the owner of the dog.

At 3:20 a.m. Sunday morning Jenkins woke up to go to the bathroom and discovered the child on the floor. He called 911 and, following instructions from the dispatch operator, performed CPR on the child until emergency medical teams arrived. The child was pronounced dead upon arrival at a Boise hospital.

None of the individuals in the home that night heard any crying, screaming, barking or growling.

A devastated grandfather, Dwight Thomas of Mountain Home, said the child often stayed at the home of he and his wife, Colleen. "We're all still in shock," he said. "We just don't understand this."

They issued a statement saying that "Harry", as the child was known, was "our little angel," who was the "light of our lives." The deeply religious couple said they knew that the child was in heaven and that "Jesus holds you to his heart."

The investigation of the incident was turned over to the Boise Police Department's child abuse unit but authorities Tuesday said no charges were likely to be filed in the tragedy.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today, Wednesday, April 30, at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. He is survived by: his mother and father, and his grandparents, Jackie Nunez, Raul Lopez and Colleen and Dwight Thomas.

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