TUSCON, Ariz. — An Arizona woman whose 8-month-old daughter was killed and partially eaten by the family dog last year has been sentenced to probation in the case.
Breanna Henson, 31, of Tuscon, was sentenced Monday to a year of probation for endangerment, according to KOLD in Tuscon. She pleaded guilty to the charge in December.
Editor’s note: The following story contains graphic details of a child’s death.
Henson was arrested Jan. 24, 2019, after her daughter, Patricia Henson, was found dead inside their home near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Patricia had puncture wounds and scratches on her body consistent with injuries inflicted by the German shepherd mix.
Henson, who was intoxicated when police arrived at the home, told police she awoke to find her daughter dead. She was initially charged with child abuse, KOLD reported.
The dog believed to be involved in Patricia’s death was later euthanized, according to KVOA in Tuscon.
The autopsy report, which was obtained by KOLD, paints a gruesome portrait of what happened to the girl. Patricia, who weighed 18 pounds when she was killed, had catastrophic injuries to her head, including gashes that left her brain exposed.
A large portion of her brain was missing, as were pieces of her skull and part of her face.
“A separate plastic bag contains the intact left eye and skeletal fragments,” the autopsy report stated.
The baby had gashes, bruises, puncture wounds and abrasions, as well as internal bleeding. She suffered severe injuries to her torso, including damage to her heart, lungs and liver, and her abdominal cavity was filled with blood.
A detective brought the pathologist three plastic containers of stomach contents from the dog believed to have killed Patricia.
“Examination of these contents revealed human infant teeth and skeletal fragments,” the autopsy report stated.
KOLD reported last month that neither Tuscon police officials nor the autopsy report said definitively if Patricia was alive during the dog attack. The manner of her death was listed in the report as “undetermined.”