Boy’s death ruled accident

Julian Slack, 3, bled to death Wednesday as the result of injuries to his face, head, neck and arms suffered in an attack by a pit bull aboard Camp Lejeune, said Dr. John Almeida, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy.

The manner of death is listed as accidental on the death certificate, Almeida said.

"There is nothing to indicate anything other than an accidental death," said Maj. Nat Fahy, spokesman for Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Installations East.

Slack was at home and under the care of a babysitter at the time of the incident, Fahy said.

The attack occurred about 4 p.m., when an acquaintance of the Slack family, who is neither a Marine nor a base resident, stopped by the Tarawa Terrace I home with the dog. At some point, the dog was let into the residence and became excited or startled by something Slack may have done and attacked the boy, Fahy said.

It had not been determined who allowed the dog into the residence.

"Whenever a guest comes on base, they are required to have a (Department of Defense) sponsor. It's ultimately the military sponsor's duty to ensure his or her guests are in compliance with base orders and directives," 1st Lt. Craig Thomas, another base spokesman, said later via e-mail. "If a guest's pet is exhibiting a propensity for violence toward another person or animal, it's the duty of the sponsor to remove that animal. That is one (of a) number of reasons why every guest must have a DoD sponsor."

Near the time of the attack, the child's parents arrived and transported the child to Onslow Memorial Hospital for medical attention, Fahy said.

The boy arrived at OMH without a pulse, hospital spokesman Tim Strickland said.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 5:08 p.m.

Almeida said the child was brought to OMH after the attack, even though the attack occurred on base, because OMH is the closest hospital to where the incident occurred.

The dog is being quarantined at the Camp Lejeune kennel, Fahy said.

No specific dog breeds are forbidden on base, but animals that are deemed vicious are not allowed to stay in base housing, according to base order 10570.1C.

"In cases where serious injury or hospitalization is the result of an attack to any person or pet, the animal will be destroyed when it is reasonably apparent that failure to do so would subject the public to danger of further attacks," the order reads.

Whether disciplinary action will be taken against the dog's owner will be determined later, Fahy said.

The base commanding officer will conduct a thorough and exhaustive review of exactly what happened to make sure this doesn't happen again and to ensure that base residents are protected, Fahy said.

"The safety, security and quality of life of residents of Camp Lejeune is of top priority," he said.

Fahy, speaking on behalf of Camp Lejeune, sent thoughts and prayers to the family of the boy in the wake of this "horrible tragedy."

"We convey our heartfelt sympathies and sorrows to the family of the victim," Fahy said. "I, as a father of two - this really hits home with me."

Fahy said the incident remains under investigation.

Contact Molly DeWitt at mdewitt@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8457 or Lindell Kay at lkay@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8462. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.