Five-month-old baby boy mauled to death by a Great Dane-husky mix on mother’s birthday

A family is mourning the heartbreaking loss of their five-month-old baby boy after he was fatally mauled by the family dog on the evening of his mother’s birthday.

The boy, named Carter, had been left in the care of his great-grandmother and great-aunt while his mother, Kyleigh Wagner, stepped out briefly to celebrate on Wednesday in Ormond Beach, Florida.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Carter had just been put down for a nap in a bedroom when the family’s three dogs were let out of their kennels.

Moments later, one of the dogs, a 58kg Great Dane-husky mix, forced its way into the bedroom where the infant lay sleeping.

Unaware of what was happening, the two caregivers did not witness or hear the attack as it unfolded. By the time they realised something was wrong and checked on Carter, he had already sustained devastating injuries.

He was rushed to the hospital, but despite doctors’ efforts, he could not be saved.

In a heartbreaking social media post, Ms Wagner said she was “at a loss for words” after the horrific incident that claimed her son’s life.

“What we thought would be an enjoyable night turned into the worst night of our lives,” she wrote on Facebook.

“He (Carter) was my whole world, he made me a better person everyday, and he was so loved and always will be...I am so grateful I was able to be his mommy.

“As a mother it makes my heart saddened even more that he was so young and we will never be able to experience life to the fullest as a family or even his first birthday or holidays.

“May you rest in peace you sweet sweet boy, mommy and daddy will see you again someday. I love you so much boogie you are the best son and baby in the whole world.”

In a follow-up post, she shared how overwhelming the grief has been in the days since Carter’s passing

“Our hearts are still in shambles and will be for the rest of our lives,” she continued.

“My sweet sweet boy is so loved and missed and this is such a traumatic experience for us all.”

Sheriff Mike Chitwood described the scenes as “tragic all the way around”.

“You have a young mother who will remember on her birthday that her child is dead. And the grandparents I mean, I just don’t know how anybody feels about this. It is so, so, so tragic. On what started to be a great night ends up, when you return home, your child is dead.”

Authorities consider it a tragic accident, however a formal investigation has been launched to thoroughly review the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The dog has since been euthanised, according to News4.