An Indiana father has been sentenced to jail after taking a plea deal for the death of his newborn baby in an attack by their family dog last year.
Austin Kinsey, the baby’s father, was charged after Jason Anthony Weaver, a one-week-old baby, died on September 4th from blunt-force trauma wounds after being brutally attacked by the dog named ‘Chomp.’
Kinsey was charged along with Violet Weaver, the baby’s mother, and four other family members. Grandparents, Timothy Kinsey, Rita Wickey and Michael Wickey as well as his uncle, Tony Kinsey were all arrested in Markle, Indiana.
The father was initially charged with two counts of neglect and one count of harboring a non-immunized dog that injured someone. A plea deal dismissed the highest-level neglect charge in exchange for a 16-year sentence at Indiana Department of Correction with a new but lesser charge.
Violet Weaver, the baby’s mother, was charged with a level six felony neglect of a dependent. According to Huntington Circuit Court documents, she has been scheduled for a change of plea hearing later this month.
Rita and Michael Wickey each face an infraction for harboring a non-immunized dog. The case is still active for all the grandparents and the uncle at this time.
According to a police report obtained by the Daily Mail, Huntington County authorities arrived at the home on Miller Street after Chomp viciously attacked the newborn baby.
The baby was having trouble breathing as an officer described the house to have a ‘strong odor of animal, trash and dirt everywhere.’ The officer attempted CPR until medics arrived.