.png)
Retired Police K9 Kills Toddler in Tragic Kit Carson County Attack
Description: A 3-year-old child has died following a dog attack on August 11, 2025, in Kit Carson County, Colorado. Sheriff Travis Belden and Deputy Darrin Newberry arrived at the scene within a minute of the call, finding the child unresponsive in the backyard. The dog, a German Shepherd previously used as a narcotics detection K9 by the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office, was secured in a kennel and later euthanized. At the time of the incident, the dog was being housed at Burlington Police Chief Nathan Hill’s residence and was not in active service. The case remains under investigation. Authorities ask the public to respect the family’s privacy during this tragic time.
3-Year-Old Killed in Dog Attack at Burlington Police Chief’s Residence in Kit Carson County
On Monday August 11, 2025 the Kit Carson County Communications center received a call regarding a child being attacked by a dog.
Sheriff Travis Belden and Deputy Darrin Newberry arrived on scene within a minute of dispatch receiving the call. Upon arrival they located the mother and an unresponsive 3yo child in the back yard of the residence. The dog was not actively attacking upon arrival and was secure in a kennel. EMS arrived within seconds and the child was taken to Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital. Despite best efforts by medical staff the child was eventually declared deceased.
The Dog was collected from the residence and taken to the Burlington Dog Pound, where the dog was later humanely euthanized. We were able to obtain some information regarding the dog. The dog was a German Shepard that had previously been in service with the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office as a narcotics detection dog, but was recently taken out of service due termination of their K9 program. The dog was not trained in any kind of bite work to include protection or apprehension. Cheyenne County donated the dog to the Burlington Police Department but the dog was not actively in service. Burlington Police Chief Nathan Hill was housing the dog at his residence at the time of incident.
The case is actively under investigation and no further information will be released at this time.
This is a very tragic situation, affecting this community as a whole. Please respect the family in their time of mourning.
