A tragic incident occurred on July 2, 2025, in Dover Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, when a family’s pit bull fatally attacked their one-year-old girl. The child, identified as Blakely Blosser, sustained severe injuries to her face and throat and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies from the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the residence on Lake Road shortly before 6 p.m. following a 911 call. Sheriff Orvis L. Campbell reported that the initial call was inaudible, but a subsequent call connected deputies with the child’s mother. She informed them that the family dog had killed her child.
The attack took place as the mother was picking up laundry after Blakely’s bath, with the child nearby. The mother sustained defensive injuries while attempting to protect her daughter from the dog. Campbell remarked, “about as terrible of an ordeal as we’ve come across in a long time.”
Detective Captain Adam Fisher noted that the attack appeared to be unprovoked and had occurred during routine family activities. The mother mentioned that while the eight-year-old pit bull had shown aggression toward other dogs, it had not previously attacked humans.
The child’s father, absent during the attack, later euthanized the dog with law enforcement’s permission. Emergency responders from the sheriff’s office and Dover Fire Department attended the scene, alongside investigators and personnel from the Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office.
Fisher explained that Ohio law mandates an autopsy when a child under two years of age dies unexpectedly in good health.
In an online obituary, Blakely’s family remembered her joyful nature and her close bond with her brother. They noted her love for tractor rides with her father and playing with her pink wagon, highlighting her tendency to resist naps, not wanting to miss out on any moments.
The family has launched a fundraising campaign to help cover expenses related to the incident. They expressed their Christian faith, describing a belief in an afterlife where “tears are wiped away and all things are made new.”
Sheriff Campbell stated that authorities do not suspect foul play. Prosecutors will review the case, but Campbell indicated that charges are not anticipated. The investigation continues, yet officials view the death as a tragic accident.
This incident is one among several recent dog attacks in Ohio. On July 4, four individuals were injured in separate incidents in Columbus’ Franklinton neighborhood. During one attack, police shot a dog that was attacking a man, who remains in critical condition. Other victims were reported to be in stable condition.
The incident in Dover Township underscores the unpredictable nature of dog attacks, even those involving family pets without a history of aggression toward humans. Law enforcement officials have emphasized that the attack occurred without warning during normal family activities.
