A newborn baby died after being attacked by his own family dog. The infant, Jason Anthony Weaver, was just one week old when the tragedy struck. On Monday, Austin Kinsey, the father, received a 16-year prison sentence. The dog, a husky and pit bull mix named Chomp, bit the baby at least 180 times. The wounds included brain hemorrhages and rib fractures.
Police found the home in rural Markle, Indiana, in terrible condition. Officers noted a “strong odor of animal, trash, and dirt everywhere.” According to the New York Post, there was so much trash and debris that officers could barely walk through the home. Bugs were found on the baby’s car seat. The house was declared unfit for habitation.
Kinsey claimed he was playing video games in the same room. He said he left the baby only briefly. The baby’s grandfather heard noises and found the dog dragging the child. Responding cops tried CPR but could not save the newborn. Chomp was later euthanized.
Other family members face charges as well. The baby’s mother, Violet Weaver, has a plea hearing scheduled later this month. His grandparents and uncle were also charged. The family was ordered to leave the home immediately.
Across the country, a different kind of horror unfolded in Houma, Louisiana. Kaegan Jude Solet, 47, is accused of killing four family members in a stabbing spree. The victims were Verna Mae Verdin, her daughter Letha Verret, Letha’s son Paul Verret, and Paul’s partner Krissy Lynn Parfait. Solet was released from the hospital on Tuesday before his arrest.
A six-year-old boy staying with his grandmother survived the attack. He suffered multiple stab wounds but ran for help. “He knew he was injured and he was just worried about making sure someone knew his family was in trouble,” relative Brandon Thiel told WVUE. In critical condition, the boy was flown by air to a hospital.
Police found the boy near the home before discovering the bodies of the four adults. Solet was captured after an hours-long manhunt on Sunday. He was seen wearing blue scrubs with a cast on his left arm. Now, he confronts four first-degree murder charges plus one attempt of first-degree murder.
The boy’s father shared an update on his condition. As he recovers, please pray for my little man, who is so so strong and such a fighter. Current status (he’s stable) thank everybody for reaching out, he wrote. The community is rallying around the young survivor.
The impact on the remaining family members is severe. A GoFundMe post described the emotional toll on those left behind. “This devastating tragedy has left the Verret family facing an unimaginable amount of grief, uncertainty, and hardship,” the post stated. Letha’s minor children feel the loss especially deeply since they must now handle the sudden absence of their mother, grandmother, and uncle simultaneously.
Solet was known to the victims. He fathered one of their children, according to reports. The attack took place on the 200 block of Ashland Drive. Just two weeks before retiring from her Walmart bakery position, Verdin was. She lived in the main home while Paul and his partner stayed in a backyard camper.
