A man whose dogs attacked a girl in Kern County and chased a 12-year-old boy into a lake, where he drowned, has been arrested in Lancaster in connection with the incident, according to authorities.
On Thursday, California City Police Department said it got a tip from a Lancaster resident who thought they spotted Kenneth Dobbins around 1 p.m. near their place of work, KBAK reported.
Authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Dobbins, 68, in connection with the death of a 12-year-old boy last week at a Kern County lake and an attack on a girl. According to police, Dobbins’ dogs attacked the two, and the boy had run into the lake to escape, where he drowned.
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the scene to look for Dobbins and took him into custody, the station reported. California City police interviewed Dobbins and, he was taken to the Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility in Kern County.
Kern County jail records show Dobbins is being held in lieu of $40,000 bail and was booked on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and negligent ownership of a mischievous animal causing serious bodily injury and/or death to another.
On June 18, the California City Police Department responded shortly after 6 p.m. to a drowning in the lake at Central Park, according to a Police Department news release.
A 12-year-old boy was found at the bottom of the lake by responding officers, who took him to the surface and started CPR, according to police. Officers also responded to another minor at the scene who was suffering from serious, non-life-threatening bite injuries.
Paramedics from the Kern County Fire Department took over until an ambulance arrived, police said. The boy was taken to the Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley hospital and then later to Children’s Hospital in Bakersfield, where he died from his injuries. The girl was taken to Antelope Valley Medical Center for her injuries and released.
Officers continued the investigation and went to Lakeshore Condominiums, where they spoke with Dobbins, according to police. Dobbins told police he was in the park with his three dogs. Police photographed his clothing and three dogs, but didn’t know the extent of the injuries to the victims, so they didn’t arrest Dobbins.
Dobbins’ dogs were later identified as the ones who attacked the children at the park, authorities said.
On Tuesday, California City police went to Dobbins’ home and found that he had fled, according to the release. One of the dogs involved in the attack was later found in Los Angeles County and seized. The California City Police is trying to find his remaining dogs.
More than $15,000 has been raised via GoFundMe for the deceased boy, whose family identified him as Fernando Torres Moreno.
Torres Moreno “was ready for a great day at the park with his friends and family, but tragedy took him from us too soon,” according to the page. Moreno is survived by his mother, father, two brothers and two sisters.
The post Dog owner arrested after girl attacked, boy drowns in lake to escape his pets, police say appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
