Witnesses try to save 8-year-old boy during deadly dog attack, Florida sheriff says

UPDATE: Dog owner Amanda Franco faces a charge of “damage by dogs” filed by the State Attorney for Florida’s 18th Judicial Circuit, according to an Aug. 13 case update. The charge is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

The original story is below.

Witnesses rushed to help but could not save an 8-year-old boy attacked by two dogs, according to investigators in Florida.

It happened around 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, at Berry’s Ridge subdivision outside DeLand, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The boy was identified as Michael Millett, and he suffered 12 bites, officials said.

“Our victim ... was out on his bike with one of his friends, and at the entrance to their subdivision (when) he stops and goes to pet one of these dogs,” Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said at a press conference.

“And at that point Michael is maliciously mauled, brutally mauled. ... The injuries that Michael sustained, and we were there this morning for the autopsy, were just horrific.”

Witnesses called 911 “and began CPR on the victim,” but could not revive the boy, officials said.

One caller reported he was heard screaming for help as the dogs pinned him to the ground, and his mother dove on top of him to act as a shield, officials said.

Deputies arrived and chased the dogs from the scene, and they were later captured by Volusia County Animal Services officers, one described as a pit bull and the other a mixed breed.”

The dogs are under quarantine for 10 days at a county facility and an investigation is underway “to determine the circumstances of the attack.”

Investigators reported Tuesday, Jan. 14, that the pet owner had been contacted but had not yet signed documents granting permission for the dog’s to be euthanized.

The owner will be held responsible and the department’s goal is to have the animals “destroyed,” Chitwood said. The owner was not at the scene during the attack.

“This is a tragedy beyond comprehension, especially for those of us who are parents and grandparents,” he said in the release.

DeLand is about a 41-mile drive north from Orlando.

This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 10:58 AM with the headline "Witnesses try to save 8-year-old boy during deadly dog attack, Florida sheriff says."