On Monday, Oklahoma prosecutors announced they upgraded charges against the parents of a 2-year-old girl who was mauled to death by their dog last month.
On November 18, LockLynn McGuire was found dead with various bite marks and other injuries. Oklahoma City police determined McGuire was locked in a room with one of the family’s four dogs when she was fatally attacked, according to KOCO.
On November 6, the same dog reportedly attacked McGuire and severed her ear — requiring plastic surgery.
Days after McGuire’s death, police arrested her mother and father, Darci Lambert, 24, and Jorden McGuire, 34, on second-degree murder charges. However, Oklahoma County prosecutors have since upgraded those charges to first-degree murder and animal cruelty.
Authorities said the room McGuire died in had a double-sided toddler lock which prevented her from escaping during the attack.
“Lambert and McGuire’s complete disregard for the health, safety and welfare of their child and their failure to protect her despite knowing she was at risk, led to her death,” Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna commented.
According to The Oklahoman, Jordan McGuire said the dog — a pit bull — was kept in the room with his daughter because it would fight the other dogs. He said he saw his daughter sleeping in the room with the dog at the foot of the mattress. Two hours later, the mother took the other dogs outside when she overheard labored breathing from the girl’s room.
Oklahoma City Animal Welfare removed various animals from the home at the time of Jordan McGuire and Lambert’s arrests. The animals included two bearded dragons and four dogs, three of which were allegedly malnourished.
McGuire and Lambert remain jailed on $1 million bond.
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[Feature Photo: KOCO]
