COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – Columbia County investigators have responded to a home where a baby has died after being attacked by a dog in Martinez.
The attack happened on the 3700 block of Columbia Drive in Martinez.
7-month-old Serenity Garnett was being watched by her great-grandmother when the attack occurred.
NewsChannel 6 has learned that the great-grandmother rents a room in the home where the attack happened. And she watches the dog for the homeowner who doesn’t live there.
Both Serenity and her great-grandmother were transported to AU Medical Center for treatment.
Investigators say her injuries were serious upon arrival.
Columbia County Deputy Coroner Martha Lappe confirms to NewsChannel 6 that the child has died.
The dog was originally identified by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office as a pit bull, but they’ve since corrected that it was an American Bulldog Great Pyrenees mix.
A spokesperson for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office tells WJBF that the dog was quarantined for rabies testing, but that there is no immediate infectious disease concern.
Neighbors in the area say they’ve seen the dog outside the home before, describing him as hard to control.
“She didn’t have the strength to deal with that dog,” said Stephen Fox. “That dog had muscles coming out the wazoo. When he got out occasionally it was very hard to get back.”
Police are still trying to figure out how the dog was able to get to the child before attacking her.
According to Major Steve Morris with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the dog belongs to Donna Mills, who co-owns the house with her brother, Danny Mills. Donna Mills is currently in jail but her brother responded to the scene and was made aware of the situation.
The residence was searched for others who may have been in the home, but no one was found.
There is no further information at this time. Count on WJBF NewsChannel 6 for more information as it comes available.
NewsChannel 6 originally identified the woman who was attacked as the baby’s grandmother. She is actually the great grand-mother.
