8-year-old Florida boy killed by dogs while riding bike, sheriff says

An 8-year-old Phoboy was “brutally crushed and killed” after he stopped riding his bike to pet two dogs at the entrance to a Florida neighborhood on Monday, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.

Michael Millett was riding his bike with a friend in the Berry Ridge neighborhood of DeLand on Monday at 4:55 p.m. when he was “maulged to death” at the scene by two dogs that initially appeared friendly, Chitwood said.

Chitwood said at a news conference on Tuesday: “It’s a pet and a very friendly relationship, the dogs become very, very aggressive and very aggressive.”

Millett was bitten 12 times by the two dogs, which have been identified as pit bull terriers and possibly a Catahoula or another herding breed.

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Chitwood said he wasn’t sure how long the attack lasted, but said he didn’t think the child suffered for long because the injuries were “just horrible.”

“We will do everything humanly possible to hold the owner of these dogs accountable, and we will do everything in our power to make sure these dogs are destroyed,” the sheriff said.

The dogs were captured by Volusia County Animal Services after they were eventually driven back to their property by deputies, and VCAS Director Angela Miedema said the agency is waiting for the owner to sign the dogs over for “humane euthanasia.”

“Each of the 12 bite wounds were washed with DNA so we can say with certainty that these two dogs in custody are the dogs responsible for Michael’s death,” the sheriff said.

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The owner, who has the ability to appeal the legal process, is known to law enforcement and has been arrested nine times in the past on various charges related to drugs, domestic violence and assault, Chitwood said.

She was not on her property at the time of the attack or when the dogs ran into their home, which is about half a mile from where Millet was killed.

State attorneys are involved in the investigation and Chitwood’s priority is to make sure the owner is prosecuted and the dogs are “disappeared.”

“She needs to be held accountable,” Chitwood said. “We have to prove negligence as the bottom bar.”

When deputies and animal control officers arrived at the property to confiscate the dogs, they noted that the property was not fully fenced and the dogs had the ability to get out easily, which neighbors described as the dogs running around regularly. It’s wrong.

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“Last night when we went door to door, we heard horror stories about how the dogs are always there, destroying chickens,” Chitwood said Tuesday, adding that the dogs may have been involved in another incident in another county.

Chitwood said there were no 911 calls to the sheriff’s office or animal services about the animals or their addresses, despite reports that the dogs were often found roaming around.

“Obviously this didn’t happen in a vacuum,” Chitwood said.

The only 911 call that Chitwood knows of involving the dogs came on Monday when he reported the attack on Millett, whose mother could be heard screaming for help in the background.

She reportedly jumped on him and tried CPR to stop the attack. The dogs never attacked the mother or other children in the area, and Chitwood Millett said he’s not sure why she was the only one bitten.

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A dog bite fatality expert is working with the county medical examiner to get more details about the fatal incident, including which dog was attacked first and which one bit him.

“Pet ownership is a big responsibility,” Midema said. “As a dog owner, you have many responsibilities as a dog owner to keep your animal on your property and to ensure the safety of the public, as well as socialization and training to ensure that this animal does not pose a threat to others.”

A GoFundMe set up by other family members for Millett’s parents described his death as a “tragic accident” and tragic.

The fundraiser, which raised more than $40,000, said: “Our family is devastated by Michael’s death. “He was incredibly smart, funny, caring, loving and very adventurous. Michael’s contagious laugh and light will be greatly missed.”