Family says attack by cop neighbor’s K-9 left their 2-year-old injured and medical bills of $300K

Family says attack by cop neighbor’s K-9 left their 2-year-old injured and medical bills of $300K Nick Dean, who jumped in to rip the K-9 off his daughter, has been left with chronic pain two years after the attack - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A Colorado family says a police K-9 who lived next door attacked their 2-year-old daughter, leaving her and her father with significant injuries and hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt. During the second birthday celebration for twins Lily and Ollie on August 11, 2024, a police K-9 escaped their neighbor’s home, scaled the fence of their Castle Rock home and attacked Lily, Fox 31 reported. Their neighbor, former Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy Zachary Oliver, was found not guilty of criminal charges in the attack last year — leaving the family on their own to pay off $300,000 in medical debt. The dog “beelined for Lily and latched onto her leg and proceeded to just whip her like a rag doll,” said Lindsey Speer, a family friend who witnessed the attack. “Like the most horrific thing that you could ever see.” Lily’s dad, Nick Dean, threw himself on the dog as his sister tried to rescue Lily. Their neighbor, who worked as a sheriff’s deputy at the time, was later able to control the dog. After the attack, Lily and her dad were both taken to the hospital for their injuries, which they say are still affecting them even two years later. According to a GoFundMe set up by the family to help cover their medical costs, Lily suffered lacerations across her abdomen and had a punctured femur from the dog’s bite. Meanwhile, her father suffered injuries to his chest, neck, back and hip. He “continues to live with the lasting psychological effects of that day, including PTSD,” according to the fundraiser. “It’s just the combination of not feeling strong enough to protect my family, and the pain,” Nick Dean told the outlet. “The chronic pain is like having an operating system going on in the background that just never shuts off, and it’s tiring.” Colorado’s 23rd District Attorney pressed charges against the sheriff’s deputy, but a jury found him not guilty of criminal charges after his lawyers argued a contract he had with the county gave him immunity. Oliver resigned from the sheriff’s office last year and his K-9 is also no longer working with the department. He also moved out of the neighborhood, according to the report. The family said they hoped the sheriff’s department or county would help them pay off their $300,000 in medical debt after the attack, but they haven’t. “When the criminal proceedings turned into nothing, we thought, well, of course, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is going to do what’s right by our family,” Nick Dean said. A lawyer for Jefferson County said in an email to Dean’s attorney that “it is not the policy of Jefferson County to use taxpayer monies to pay claims for which there is no legal liability.” The Independent has contacted the sheriff’s office for comment. The GoFundMe the family launched to help offset their mounting medical debt had received over $63,000 in donations as of Monday. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments