A Kansas City father and son have been charged in connection with a deadly dog mauling that occurred in November 2024 in the 3200 block of E. 80th Street.
John R. Thibeaux II and John R. Thibeaux I are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault after their dogs attacked and killed a person.
“Owning animals comes with the responsibility of properly securing them. When owners neglect their duty to maintain adequate fencing or ignore warning signs of aggression, they put innocent lives at risk and could face serious criminal charges,” said Kansas City Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
Court records reveal that Kansas City police responded to the scene, where they found multiple dogs attacking the victim. Officers used sirens and air horns to scare the dogs away. The dogs retreated to Thibeaux II’s yard through holes in a chain-link fence, which was poorly installed, allowing the dogs to freely enter and exit.
The victim succumbed to injuries days after the attack, while another person was bitten while attempting to intervene.
Surveillance footage showed one of the dogs outside the fence before the attack, with others crawling under the fence to join in. Witnesses reported that the dogs often roamed the neighborhood, had attacked other pets, and displayed aggression toward people. Some reported that the dogs had bitten someone on two separate occasions. Text messages showed that Thibeaux I was aware of the dogs’ behavior.
Investigators also found that Thibeaux II was operating a dog breeding business, as revealed by social media posts promoting puppies for sale. He also admitted in text messages that one of his dogs had bitten him months before the fatal attack while he was trying to break up a fight between the dogs.
Both father and son are currently in custody, each held on a $100,000 bond.
