Babysitter starts petition to keep deadly dogs away from public

It's called Jayden's Law, named for 7-year-old Jayden Henderson of Garner, who was killed by two dogs in April.

Posted 10:37 p.m. Jul 18, 2021 — Updated 9:50 a.m. Jul 19, 2021

Julian Grace

, WRAL anchor/reporter

GARNER, N.C. — There is a new petition circulating in North Carolina to euthanize dogs that have killed humans without being provoked.

It's called Jayden's Law, named for 7-year-old Jayden Henderson of Garner, who was killed by two dogs in April.

Child killed in Garner dog attack was daughter of WRAL-TV employee

Garner police say WRAL employee Heather Trevaskis and her daughter, Jayden, were helping care for the dogs while the owners were out of town. The attack happened in the owners' backyard.

Now, the dog's owners are fighting to get the dogs back.

Owners sue for return of dogs that killed child, injured mother

Henderson's babysitter, Kinley Borum, says she felt compelled to start the petition because of her strong relationship with the child.

"[I] loved babysitting for her, she was filled with so much energy," Borum said.

Borum enjoyed babysitting Henderson, but now the sitter has turned into the 7-year-old's defender.

"A dog’s life is not more important than a 7-year-old child’s life," Borum said.

So, she started a petition on Change.org.

The owners of the dogs are now trying to bring them home -- which is allowed under state law.

Other preventative actions are already being taken on the issue. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance Wednesday night that states that any dog that has killed a human will be confiscated and put down.

Franklin County adopts ordinance outlawing dogs that have killed people

Borum says the bill makes no distinction for dogs that killed humans, unprovoked.

"I started it because I loved Jayden and love pushed me to start it," she said. "This thing that North Carolina allows dogs that killed a humans to come home -- your next door neighbor can own a dog that killed a human and you'd never know."

Borum wants to see this to the finish, and she is doing it for the little girl who brought her so much joy.

"I'm doing this for Jadyen and Jadyen’s family, and for all the other families that may have to go though this," she said. "No one deserves to go [through] this battle they are going through for the past two or three months, for fear that a dog that killed their loved ones can come home again right across the street from them."

At last check Jayden's Law is at 1500 signatures.

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