Connor Aranda faces a long road to recovery after the 8-year-old boy was attacked by a Labrador retriever at a home daycare in Apple Valley.
The alleged incident happened Tuesday at an unidentified daycare center. After the attack, the boy was taken to Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley and then airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center, according to Laura Kemp, the boy’s grandmother.
A request for service has not been made to the Apple Valley Sheriff’s station, sheriff’s spokeswoman Mara Rodriguez told the Daily Press.
Kemp told the Daily Press on Friday that Connor suffered severe injuries to his chest and face, and the emergency reconstructive surgery left him disfigured, in pain, unable to speak and in unimaginable pain.
She added that Connor will need several more surgeries to fix his lips and will need numerous physiotherapy visits for his recovery.
“I got a call from my daughter saying Connor was attacked by a dog while he was at daycare,” Kemp said. “I ran to pick her up from work. My daughter was completely devastated, shaking in absolute fear of the worst.
Due to Connor’s hospitalization, his mother, Michelle Aranda, will have to travel and take time off from work, said Kemp, who set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Connor’s medical bills.
Kemp’s daughter is a single mother with two young children at home who are also solely dependent on her care.
“This child is very special to a lot of people, especially his mother,” Kemp said. “She has to be there for him, and we have to be there for them.”
The facility’s operator told KTLA that the daycare was unlicensed and the dog had been removed from the home. The dog will be euthanized by San Bernardino Animal Care and Control, which is investigating the incident.
The application for a daycare license for the house is pending. The boy’s mother is considering legal action over the attack, KTLA reported.
Kemp alleges that Connor’s 6-year-old sister, Madeline, and three other children witnessed the attack, Kemp said.
Connor Aranda
Since the attack, the look in Connor’s eyes has changed, according to Kemp, who said his grandson’s “spirit is broken right now.”
“It’s heartbreaking to see my grandson or a child like this,” Kemp said. “I’m so angry this happened to Connor because it was completely preventable.”
Connor is a third-grader and an excellent student at Phoenix Academy, Kemp said. He has awards for his academic achievements and has many friends, Kemp said.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz can be reached at 760-951-6227 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.