Puppy was blamed in baby’s death, but that’s not what happened, NY officials say
A 1-month-old baby found dead at a public housing complex in New York City wasn’t killed by her family’s 6-week-old puppy as initial reports had suggested, according to officials.
“This is not a fatal dog mauling,” New York City’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner said in a statement to McClatchy News on May 29.
The infant, Kiyanna Winfield, was unresponsive when officers found her while responding to a 911 call at the public housing complex in Long Island City, a neighborhood of Queens, the morning of May 27, a New York City Police Department spokesperson confirmed to McClatchy News.
Her mother told police that her family’s puppy, a German shepherd and pit bull mix, had bitten her daughter’s face, according to officials, The Gothamist reported.
The woman said she made the discovery when she woke up that morning, next to her baby, officials said, according to the news outlet.
Early news reports, citing authorities, said the puppy had attacked and mauled the girl to death, including a May 27 report from WNBC.
A few hours after police said baby Kiyanna was found dead, city council member Julie Won expressed condolences to the girl’s family, writing in an X post that she “tragically died after being bitten by her family’s dog in the Queensbridge Houses.”
Won represents the 26th Council district in Western Queens, where the Queensbridge Houses is located in Long Island City.
An autopsy revealed the girl had been bitten by the dog but after she died, the medical examiner’s office told the Gothamist.
Her cause of death has not been determined as of the afternoon of May 29.
“The cause and manner of death are pending further study and will require additional testing,” the medical examiner’s office told McClatchy News.
The investigation continues, according to the NYPD.
“There are no arrests at this time,” the NYPD spokesperson said.
This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Puppy was blamed in baby’s death, but that’s not what happened, NY officials say."
.jpg)