The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A NINE-year-old American boy mauled about 100 times by dogs while holidaying in Bimini pleaded with God not to let him die as his mother held him and examined his wounds, his family has revealed.

Beau Brattain, of Florida, suffered life-threatening injuries when the dogs attacked him as he collected sand on a beach at about 10am on July 28, biting him across his face, head, arms and legs before an unidentified passerby intervened and chased them away.

His mother, Aliette Trelles, recounted the aftermath of the attack in an interview with a Florida TV station.

“All he kept repeating was ‘dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs,’” she told WPLG Local 10. “He was speaking like he was going to die, speaking to God and telling God, God ‘please, I don’t wanna die this way. I don’t want to die this way.’

“And me looking at him, holding him, inspecting all these wounds, going, ‘Is this the moment I lose my son?’”

Beau was taken to the local clinic before being airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in the United States with life-threatening injuries.

He reportedly underwent three surgeries, including one lasting ten hours.

His father, Michael Brattain, who accompanied him during the airlift, said Beau remained awake throughout the flight and that his goal was to keep his son conscious.

Ms Trelles said Beau is doing well and has surprised those around him with the speed of his recovery, although she acknowledged that he still faces a difficult road.

She said the entire crown of her son’s head was removed.

Photos posted by the family show multiple bite wounds around his head and face, with a specialised sealed vacuum dressing being used to aid the healing process.

Beau’s relatives have since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his medical care, rehabilitation, travel and other recovery expenses.

Ms Trelles said the family may need between $2m and $4m for his medical expenses, depending on the extent of the therapy and reconstructive treatment he requires.

The attack has also changed how she views Bimini, an island she said previously held happy memories for her.

“An island that held so much joy and memory for me,” she said, “is a place that I never want to go to again. I don’t want anyone I know to go to again until they get their stuff together.”

Dog owner Harrington Rolle has since been charged in connection with the attack and sentenced to 12 months in prison. Rolle, 34, admitted charges of negligently causing grievous harm, permitting a dangerous dog to be at large, and being the owner of a dangerous out of control dog that caused harm to a person in a public place at his arraignment before Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans in New Providence Friday evening.