On Thursday, November 29, 2023, in Chelsea, Alabama, a three-month-old infant died following an attack by the family’s pet wolf-hybrid.

Shelby County 911 received an emergency call at about 12:54 p.m. reporting an animal attack on an infant in the area of County Road 440.

Responding to the call, Shelby County deputies, animal control officers, and Chelsea firefighters arrived at the scene. The child, critically injured, was transported to a hospital by Chelsea Fire & Rescue. Despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the infant died from the injuries sustained in the attack.

While investigating the incident, the Shelby County deputies identified the animal involved as a wolf-hybrid, a crossbreed between a wolf and a domestic dog. This animal was kept as a family pet. Lina Evans, the Shelby County Coroner said to the New York Post: ‘It appears that the wolf or wolf-dog picked up the child that was down on the floor and started playing with it, and unfortunately killed the baby.

Following the incident, at the request of law enforcement, a veterinarian euthanized the animal on-site. The wolf-hybrid was then transported to the Alabama State Diagnostics Laboratory for further examination.

Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer expressed his deep condolences over the incident. In a statement, he conveyed extended prayers and thoughts to the family and those affected by this heartbreaking event. 

Additional details revealed that other children were present in the home at the time of the incident. The Department of Human Resources and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack.