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CLOUDY Temp: 45 °F Wind: N at 4 mph Monday, April 21, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 10, 2003 Dog may have tried to help boy By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Lobo, the big dog that guarded the body of a 5-year-old Medford boy Sunday night, might have tried to drag him to safety, Josephine County sheriff’s officials theorize. Investigators found small holes consistent with the size of the dog’s teeth in the pants and T-shirt of Connor Sutherland, who was found dead from hypothermia Monday morning after wandering away from his grandmother’s house in Grants Pass Sunday. "They were smaller holes, like the tears made by a dog trying to pull somebody," said Detective Jim Mason of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Department. No punctures were found in Connor’s skin, indicating the dog, a Saint Bernard/Great Dane mix, was not trying to bite him, Mason said. Connor, whose mother is Laurie Sutherland of Medford, wandered off the rural property around noon Sunday into the thick woods south of Grants Pass. His body, covered in a T-shirt, pants and socks, was found down a 20-foot embankment, about 2,300 feet from his grandmother’s house, with the dog sitting by his side. Sutherland’s sister, Amy Sutherland-Cohut, who has been comforting her while the family grieves, said there wasn’t really a special bond between Connor and Lobo, who weighs 130 pounds. "Initially Connor was even afraid of him," she said. "But he grew to like him more over time." Sutherland-Cohut, whose family continues to ponder "what if" scenarios about the tragedy, said they still wonder why the dog hadn’t barked earlier to alert the searchers. Because the area where Connor was found had been disturbed by searchers, Mason said it was difficult to determine if the 42-pound body actually had been dragged by the dog to that area. "It’s hard to tell because we had so many people going up and down the bank," he said. Connor’s tennis shoes are still missing, but Mason said victims of hypothermia often begin disrobing because they get disoriented and mistakenly believe they are hot instead of cold. An autopsy has determined no physical or sexual abuse. Small scratches were found on the boy’s body, but Mason said they are consistent with the type of scratches that would be found on any 5-year-old. The sheriff’s department has looked at the possibility of citing the uncle, Scott Sutherland, 23, for failing to properly watch the boy. "We do have to look at the baby-sitting situation," said Lt. Brian Anderson. "We have an adult who’s supposed to be looking at a 5-year-old." However, Anderson said the chances of filing any charges are pretty remote. "You’ve got someone feeling bad enough as it is," said Anderson. "You’ve got to live with this the rest of your life." The uncle was inside the house using a computer while the boy was outside playing. "Nobody blames him," said Sutherland-Cohut. "This could have happened to anyone. "Scott’s window was right where he (Connor) was playing, so he thought he could keep an eye on him," she added. Mason said the evidence he has seen doesn’t support blaming anyone, much less filing any charges. "The best parents have their child wander off," he said. "All, as parents, have tuned out our kids for at least 20 minutes." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S