Update: Boy attacked by dog at day care center has 'spirit broken'

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·2 min read
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Connor Aranda, 8, is recovering after he was attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home day care facility in Apple Valley.
Connor Aranda, 8, is recovering after he was attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home day care facility in Apple Valley.

Connor Aranda is looking at a long road of recovery after the 8-year-old boy was attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home day care facility in Apple Valley.

The alleged incident happened at an unidentified day care on Tuesday. After the attack, the boy was taken to Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley then flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center, according to Laura Kemp, the boy's grandmother.

A request for service was not made with the Apple Valley Sheriff's Station, sheriff's spokeswoman Mara Rodriguez told the Daily Press.

Kemp told the Daily Press on Friday that Connor suffered extensive injuries to his chest and face, and that emergency reconstructive surgery has left him disfigured, in pain, unable to speak and in unimaginable pain.

She added that Connor will need several more surgeries to repair his lips and he will require many visits to physical therapy for his recovery.

Connor Aranda, 8, is recovering after he was viciously attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home daycare facility in Apple Valley.
Connor Aranda, 8, is recovering after he was viciously attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home daycare facility in Apple Valley.

“I received a call from my daughter that Connor was attacked by a dog while at day care,” Kemp said. “I raced to pick her up from work. My daughter was completely devastated, shaking in absolute fear of the worst.”

Because of Connor’s hospitalization, his mother, Michelle Aranda, will have to travel and take time off work, said Kemp, who created a GoFundMe account to help pay for Connor's medical expenses.

Kemp's daughter is a single mother with two younger children at home that also rely solely on her care.

“This child is very special to a lot of people, most importantly his mother,” Kemp said. “She needs to be there for him, and we need to be there for them.”

The facility's operator told KTLA that the day care was unlicensed and that the dog was removed from the home. The canine will be euthanized by San Bernardino Animal Care and Control, which is investigating the incident.

The day care license application for the home is pending. The boy’s mother is considering legal action over the attack, KTLA reported.

Kemp alleges that Connor’s 6-year-old sister, Madeline, and three other children witnessed the attack, Kemp said.

Connor Aranda, 8, is recovering after he was attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home day care facility in Apple Valley.
Connor Aranda, 8, is recovering after he was attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home day care facility in Apple Valley.

Connor Aranda

Since the attack, the look in Connor’s eyes has changed, according to Kemp, who said her grandson’s "spirit is broken right now."

“It’s heartbreaking to see my grandson or any child like this,” Kemp said. “I’m so angry this has happened to Connor as it was completely avoidable.”

Connor is a third-grader and an excellent student at Phoenix Academy, Kemp said. He has awards for academic achievements and has many friends, Kemp said.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Dog attacks 8-year-old boy at daycare facility in Apple Valley