Woman weeps as she recalls dogs’ attack on grandson

Yolande Peters-Renne has recalled how she pleaded with God as she held the limp body of her grandson, Ezekiel Renne-Cambridge, after he was mauled by two dogs last year. Peters-Renne was giving testimony on Wednesday before San Fernando Magistrate Alicia Chankar at the start of the summary trial of Vidya Emrith, 53, of Cinnamon Court, Palmiste. It is alleged that on April 13, 2011 she allowed her dogs to go “at large” without being properly muzzled, contrary to Section 16 of the Dangerous Dogs Act, Chapter 67:54. Prosecutor Sgt Russel Ramoutar had called Peters-Renne as a witness and she told the court the dogs, a German Shepherd and an Akita mixed with German Shepherd, attacked her grandson near her home at Chrissy Street, Block 5, Palmiste. She said a neighbour came to her aid during the attack.

 

 

Peters-Renne said after the attack she grabbed her grandson and ran inside the house.“I started to scream and say, ‘Oh God, do something for Ezekiel.’ He was lifeless,” she said. Peters-Renne, the first of three witnesses, wept as she stood in the witness stand. Under cross-examination by defence attorney, Azeem Mohammed, instructed by Sasha Singh, said Emrith came to the hospital and was crying. She said Emrith apologised for the incident. Peters-Renne said Ezekiel, five, is recovering from the attack. However, she said, he still had to undergo tests, including imaging of his spine, as well as physiotherapy and thoracic scans. Mohammed asked: “Is he coming along?” “By the grace of God,” Peter-Renne replied. Her neighbour, Aldwyn Crosby, who also testified on Wednesday, said at 9 pm he was watching television with his family when he heard dogs barking and looked out of his window.

 

 

He said he saw Peters-Renne walking with Ezekiel and called out to her. She replied and continued walking. “Seconds later, I heard screams,” he added. Crosby said he ran out of his house and saw two dogs. He described how he went back inside and returned with a whip which he used to hit the dogs. 

“I approached and realised the dogs were biting Ms Renne’s grandson on his head and his arms,” he added. Crosby said he struck the smaller dog three or four times and it ran off. The second dog, which he said was three times bigger, “had Ms Renne’s grandson in its jaws,” and was biting him in the area between his chest and hip. Police photographer PC Videsh Ramsaran, who also testified, tendered five photographs into evidence. The case continues on April 18.