An Ohio mother found out her fate when her baby was left unsupervised and mauled to death by her boyfriend’s pit dog.
Alyssa Smith was sentenced to up to three years in prison after being convicted of third-degree felony child endangerment, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office stated on Friday, October 17.
Prosecutors stated in a statement that Smith left the couple’s 6-month-old baby at home alone in Marion, Ohio, with another child and the “aggressive” pit bull nearby, “allowing the dog to attack the infant,” on April 28, 2024.
“The dog essentially crushed the child’s skull,” prosecutor Ray Grogan told PEOPLE. “And as a result of that, the child’s brain was severely damaged.”
The baby boy, named Royal Bates, was confirmed dead at a local hospital. Prosecutors also alleged that the dog was confiscated and euthanized the next day.
Grogan stated that Smith’s sentencing “holds a mother accountable for failing her infant in the most tragic way.” Smith’s actions in ignoring the dog’s history demonstrated a habit of recklessness, which cost baby Royal his life.
Blake Bates, Smith’s boyfriend and the baby’s father, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Royal’s death earlier this month, according to PEOPLE. He is due to be sentenced on October 27.
“Bates knew his pit bull was dangerous, yet he gambled with this baby’s safety – recklessness that demands severe consequences,” Grogan stated in a prior press release announcing Bates’ guilty plea.
In his obituary, Royal was described as a newborn who “always woke up with a smile” and adored his round mirror toys.
