Leverett's Chapel boy killed by pit bulls

Ten-year-old Justin Clinton was killed Monday by two bulldogs in Leverett's Chapel. A fund to help pay for his funeral has been set up at Regions Bank and donations may be made at all area branches. Two pit bull dogs that mauled a Leverett's Chapel boy to death on Monday have been euthanized as Rusk County sheriff's deputies continue their investigation of the case.

Justin Wayne Clinton, 10, reportedly a fourth grader at Leverett's Chapel ISD, was killed by the two dogs after he walked to visit a friend on CR 133, where the dogs lived. The dogs' owners have been identified as Christy and Ricky George.

Charges have not been filed against Georges, said Lt. Charles Hilton of the Rusk County Sheriff 's Office. He declined to release Clinton's parents names at this time, citing privacy concerns.

Lt. Hilton said witnesses reported the dogs dragged the child along the side of the road, but he was not sure if the attack began inside or outside of the fence where the dogs were kept.

He said the sheriff 's office has received no prior complaints against these two dogs, but that both were previously owned by someone in Kilgore and his office is talking with KPD to determine whether there were complaints against them here.

Deputies were dispatched to the scene at 12:32 p.m. Monday but Clinton had already been transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview when they arrived, Lt. Hilton said.

B.H. Jameson, Gregg County justice of the peace, pronounced the boy dead at the hospital. Jameson ordered an autopsy, which will be performed in Dallas, to determine the exact cause death.

The small community of about 100 is stunned by the boy's death, said a local preacher who has talked with the Clinton family and the dogs' owners.

The Rev. Edwin Findley, pastor of Leverett's Chapel Baptist Church, said he is ministering to both families.

"Both families are hurting now," Findley said Tuesday morning.

The pastor said he knows both boys as they have attended his church on Wednesday nights, though neither is a member.

"I'm praying for the community and the families to start the healing process," Findley said. "My goal is that we have a healing within the community."

Findley set up a bank account Tuesday morning to help the family pay for funeral expenses as they did not have any health or burial insurance. It has also been reported that the Georges' homeowners insurance had lapsed because Ricky George lost his job and had to choose between putting food on the table or keeping the insurance.

Donations may be made to the Justin Clinton Memorial Fund at any Regions Bank in East Texas.

Funeral arrangements had not yet been announced at press time.

Clinton was chosen as a player for the Kilgore Boys Baseball Association's 9- and 10- year-old All Stars team.

His coach, Jeff Tubbs, said The Cap House, which makes sports jerseys and caps for Kilgore baseball teams, will create a black patch with Clinton's number on it that will be worn by his fellow players in the American League All Star tournament in Chapel Hill next week.

Lt. Hilton said one of the dogs was a 3- year-old male and the other was a 2-year-old female who had puppies in mid-February but none remained at the home. He said the Georges got both dogs, who have always been together, in February.

"According to the Georges, the dogs showed no signs of aggression and if they did, they would not have had the dogs in the first place," Lt. Hilton said.

The dogs have alternately been described in various media reports as being American bulldogs and pit bull dogs.

According to www.americanbulldogs.com, the American bulldog was first registered with the National Kennel Club as an "American Pit Bulldog" in 1970, but the breed name was changed to avoid confusion with the "American Pit Bull Terrier."

Per www.wikipedia.com, there is a group of breeds commonly called "pit bulls," including the American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier and American bulldog, among others.

Several breeds in the "pit bull family" have been banned or restricted in various countries or parts of countries around the world.