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Texas babysitter’s dogs attack toddler and teenager left alone in her care: Sheriff

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Texas babysitter’s dogs attack toddler and teenager left alone in her care: Sheriff

A babysitter in Texas has been arrested and charged with felony injury to a child after she reportedly left a toddler and a teenager in her care alone, and then the children were attacked by the caregiver’s dogs.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said a 1-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl were being cared for by Heather Rodriguez, 36, in the Central Texas town of Converse. Salazar said a preliminary investigation led them to believe Rodriguez left the children alone with her four XL American bullies.

Salazar said that Rodriguez left the home for unknown reasons and left the children in a bedroom, away from the dogs since they were “known to cause damage.”

TEXAS FAMILY SHOOTS PIT BULLS WHO ATTACKED, KILLED THEIR LIVESTOCK: ‘I LIVE IN FEAR FOR MY LIFE’

A babysitter’s XL American bullies allegedly attacked a toddler and teenager left in her care. (Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images)

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The dogs eventually broke into the bedroom by destroying a connecting bathroom door that they’d already previously damaged, Salazar said.

Salazar said the dogs began biting the toddler once they got into the room.

“The 13-year-old was able to maintain control of the baby, but at this point, and what’s being described to me, it was almost a tug of war for the baby between at least one of the dogs and the little girl,” the sheriff said.

The additional dogs joined the fray, and the teenage girl spent “several minutes trying to fight them off,” Salazar said.

“At a certain point, she had to break away and physically left the baby behind in the bathroom,” the sheriff said. (She was) being attacked while she went to go get her cell phone to call for help.”

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MAN FACES CHARGES AFTER HE CALLED 911 ON SOMEONE WHO LIT A SCENTED CANDLE: POLICE

A toddler and teenager were allegedly left alone by their babysitter an attacked by her dogs. These are the stairs inside the home of babysitter Heather Rodriguez. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)

The girl called 911, safely got the toddler into another room and barricaded themselves in there. She had to push against the door to prevent the dogs from compromising that entrance.

Deputies arrived and took control of the scene, which included rendering first aid to the 1-year-old child before taking him to the hospital.

“From what we understand about the baby right now, he’s definitely in critical condition,” Salazar said Monday at a news conference, according to USA Today. “I’ve actually seen some pictures of the baby from our body camera video… it’s heartbreaking to see anybody in that condition.”

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Salazar said the baby sustained “pretty severe head injuries” and that he couldn’t breathe normally after damage to his throat and airway.

The sheriff said the children’s parents were unaware that Rodriguez had “problematic” dogs and that he believed “they would not have let (Rodriguez) care for their baby the way that they did had they known that these dogs were unsafe.”

He added that the teenage girl’s quick actions likely prevented a situation that could have turned out much worse than it is.

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A toddler and teenager were allegedly left alone by their babysitter an attacked by her dogs. This is damage inside the home of babysitter Heather Rodriguez. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)

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“I’ve got to be honest, the 13-year-old in this instance, I’m considering her a hero,” Salazar said. “I think her actions led to the baby not being mauled even more seriously, or even killed as a result of this savage dog attack.”

Child Protective Services has been called to monitor the welfare of both children, particularly for the physical well-being of the toddler and the mental well-being of the teenager.

Rodriguez, in addition to her felony injury to a child charge, has also been cited for letting her dogs run freely without a leash. The sheriff said it’s clear that two of the dogs participated in the attack, but perhaps all of them were involved.

“Obviously, for me, any dog that took part in it needs to be put down,” Salazar said. “As heartbreaking as that sounds, the life of a little baby is much more important.”

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Salazar said Rodriguez was more concerned about her dogs being taken away than the fact two children in her care were attacked and injured by them. The dogs are now with Bexar County Animal Control, which will determine what happens to them.

“If we’re able to find out that one of the dogs, or several of the dogs were not responsible, then fine,” Salazar said. “Perhaps those can go back, but (Rodriguez) seemed to be more concerned with what was going on with those dogs than with the fact that her inaction (and) her omissions almost caused the death of a baby.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District

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Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District

Events and protests were held in downtown Los Angeles Saturday on the one-year anniversary of one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in California.

One June 6, 2025, federal agents stormed the L.A. Fashion District, arresting and detaining dozens of workers.

The enforcement action served as a catalyst, igniting a wave of subsequent raids across Southern California. In response, city leaders affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the immigrant communities” in Los Angeles, as events were held throughout the city to remember those who were deported and those whose immigration cases remain unresolved.

Protesters advocating for immigrant communities gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Saturday, waving flags and signs. One woman was arrested during a clash with police.

Protesters face off with police in downtown L.A. on the one-year-anniversary of a large ICE raid. (KTLA)

The initial raid in the L.A. Garment District swept up workers, including the father of one woman who described the experience as “one of the most traumatic experiences” of their lives. This operation was among the first deportation actions that resulted in families being separated and triggered days of civil unrest.

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At a commemoration event, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A. stood together, vowing to protect immigrant communities living in fear.

“We all felt attacked, and I think what’s so critical today, is to know and remember and acknowledge that this is still going on every day,” Bass said.

While the Department of Homeland Security maintains that its enforcement operations target criminals, families of those detained argue that immigration enforcement terrorizes hardworking people. These families contend that many immigrants pay taxes and contribute to society, even if they are not U.S. citizens.

Immigration attorneys report that thousands of individuals are still trying to locate their loved ones. They also highlighted that hundreds of people swept up in immigration raids last year remain detained in facilities, facing medical neglect, inhumane conditions and the denial of basic due process protections.

Watch the full report from KTLA’s Sara Welch in the video at the top of this story.

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All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTLA. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTLA staff before being published.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

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Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.

According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday. 

“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.” 

The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.

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Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.

No further details were immediately available.

Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away. 

Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

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Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.

On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.

She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.

Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach on June 3, 2026. (Long Beach Police Department)

“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.

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The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355. 

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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