A 14-year-old Massachusetts boy killed by a pack of dogs he was taking care of

State of Massachusetts (Photo: Shane Music)

BOSTON – A 14-year-old Massachusetts boy was mutilated Thursday night by a pack of dogs that he was looking after for an owner who was not in town.

A neighbor of the Dighton House discovered that the boy, identified as Ryan Rehoboth, was not reacting with "traumatic injuries to various parts of his body" and had reported the incident shortly before 8 pm, said the Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III.

The neighbor practiced CPR, but the injuries were too serious. First responders declared him dead on the scene.

Dighton is outside Providence, Rhode Island, and about 45 miles south of Boston.

Eleven dogs – a combination of Dutch shepherds and Belgian malinois – were found on the property, four ran freely and seven caged. Each has been detained and must be quarantined for at least 10 days in accordance with Massachusetts law.

An unfair game is not suspected. Quinn did not specify what could have caused the attack and an investigation is underway.

The boy regularly occupied dogs on the property, a vast expanse comprising several buildings, according to Quinn. He said that the boy's grandmother had deposited around 6 pm. Occupy animals while the owner, Scott Dunmore, 49, was in Boston.

Ryan's parents were out of state in New York. While he was busy with housework and animals, the grandmother waited in the car, he said.

"She told the police that Ryan was usually finishing his duties on the property in 30 to 45 minutes," Quinn said. "After more than an hour of time, Ryan's grandmother became worried about him."

The grandmother called the boy's parents to tell them that he had not returned to his car, Quinn said. The parents then called a neighbor to check Ryan.

When the neighbor located the boy, he put the four dogs loose in a basement. Quinn said the remaining seven dogs would have been caged during the incident.

He added that the dogs, who were not allowed in the city, did not seem to be malnourished and described them as medium-sized dogs for their breeds. "They are not small animals."

Dighton Police Chief Robin McDonald said, "This kind of thing should never happen to anyone, be it a 14 year old boy."

He sent his condolences to the boy's family. "It's a very sad thing."

A complete autopsy was not performed. The soldiers and the Dighton police are still investigating the death. Quinn said Dunmore was back from Boston and was cooperating with the investigation.

"Although it's an ongoing investigation, it does not appear that criminal acts are suspected yet," Quinn said. "It is clearly a terrible tragedy for the victim, the family, his friends and the city, and my heart goes out to them all."

Dunmore could not be reached for comment.

A man named Scott Dunmore describes himself as a professional dog trainer over 15 on a Boston-based website for the 3 Dogs Running Company.