A California mother was arrested Thursday on suspicion of child cruelty after a 2-year-old boy was found surrounded by several dogs at a park in Victorville, police said.
In a news release from the Victorville Police Department, police were sent to Brentwood Park after getting a report of a baby surrounded by a pack of dogs.
The officer who arrived on the scene found that the child had a soiled diaper in wet weather. About seven dogs surrounded the child, the news release added. The dogs weren’t aggressive towards the child, but they were protective of the boy, the officer said in the report.
“The dogs seemed to be very protective of the toddler when the sergeant approached him to get him out of the rain and cold weather,” said the Victorville Police release. “Once the boy was safe, the Sergeant and other deputies were able to locate the boy’s home, which was around the corner from the park. When deputies arrived at the home, they found the front door standing open, and the dogs from the park were inside.”
The mother, identified as Cassandra Bustamante, said she didn’t know her son had left. Deputies said she was sleeping.
As a result, police contacted Children and Family Services due to the incident as well as the “overall condition of” Bustamante’s home. Her three children were then released into the custody of their father, police said.
It added: “Animal Control was also requested to handle the animals at the house. Unfortunately, during the incident one of the dogs became very aggressive and lunged at the Sergeant, trying to bite him, and the dog was shot. As of this morning, the dog is in stable condition.”
