Kendrah Wong was supposed to be planning her son's 12th birthday party, but instead she is preparing for his funeral after he was attacked and killed by two large dogs in Edmonton on Monday.
Wong and her son Kache Grist had moved to Osoyoos in November for a fresh start.
Her 11-year-old son wanted to return to Edmonton for spring break to spend nine days with his father.
Global News has learned that Kache’s father’s roommate owned two Cane Corso dogs.
Wong says Kache was about to be picked up to go back to Osoyoos when the dogs attacked him inside his father’s home.
“He was adventurous, courageous, strong, beautiful. He had a heart of gold,” Wong told Global News Thursday.
“He was so polite and he was loved by everybody. And he didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
Wong says Kache would gather sage from the nearby hills, bundle it, and take it to a local store to sell, earning money for his hobbies.
“He enjoyed writing comics, and he was a fan of The Walking Dead. I even took him to the Fan Expo on my birthday so he could meet a couple of the characters,” she said.
The Grade 5 student also enjoyed video games and spaghetti.
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Supplied/Kendrah Wong
There had been multiple complaints about the dogs, including two reports of attacks this year alone.
The City of Edmonton confirms one of those attacks is still under investigation.
“If I would have known, I would have never let him go,” Wong said, adding she is shocked at what happened.
“I’m beside myself because I let my kid go for spring break with his dad and he’s never going to come home.”
The Edmonton Police Service is continuing its investigation. In a news release Thursday, police said an autopsy on the boy has been completed and the cause of the boy’s death was confirmed to be a dog bite.
The news release said the manner of death is pending further investigation.
The medical examiner can classify manner of death as natural, accidental, homicide, suicide, or undetermined.
An Edmonton personal injury lawyer says, in general, animal owners are liable for the actions of their pets.
Depending on the situation, Kamila Surkont says if your animal hurts someone, the owner could face criminal charges.
“If there were prior complaints about the dog, you may have a higher negligence, right?” said the James H. Brown lawyer.
“There might be more negligence on you, and at that point, you can be held accountable for it.”
Surkont says anyone who is injured by an animal can connect with a personal injury lawyer for advice and help and anyone whose pet injures someone might have coverage through their home insurance.
Supplied/Kendrah Wong
As the police investigation continues, the community is rallying around Kache’s family.
The Canadian Brewhouse on Ellerslie Road, just blocks from where the attack happened, has already reached out.
“I think the key is for us to just open up the doors and see what we can do to support. If there was a fundraiser being held or just the family getting together, we’ve got the space to do it,” Jamil Kara said Thursday.
A GoFundMe has also been initiated to assist the family with covering the costs of the funeral and other expenses.
Wong says she will require all the help she can receive moving forward.
“The last thing I told him was: ‘Come here, buddy. I feel like I’m never going to see you again. Come give mom a hug,'” Wong said through tears.
“He came and gave me five hugs, three kisses and told me he loved me.”
Both dogs remain in the custody of the City of Edmonton’s Animal Care and Control section.
With files from The Canadian Press
