Jason A. Weaver, 7 days old, killed by family dog in Markle, Indiana
The Huntington County Coroner’s Office said Jason A. Weaver died from multiple blunt force injuries after a family dog attacked him at a Markle home on September 4, 2025; six relatives were later charged, and his father received a 16-year prison sentence in September 2026 under a plea deal while the other cases remained active.
Incident summary
Markle Police and the Huntington County Coroner’s Office said 7-day-old Jason A. Weaver was critically injured in an attack by a dog living in the family home on September 4, 2025. First responders performed lifesaving measures, but the newborn died during transport toward a Fort Wayne hospital. The coroner ruled the death accidental and attributed it to multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. The dog was described as a 5-year-old husky/pit bull mix. In June 2026, prosecutors charged six relatives with varying neglect and dog-related counts. On September 14, 2026, WPTA reported that Jason’s father, Austin Kinsey, received a 16-year prison sentence under a plea deal tied to a lesser neglect charge; the outlet reported the highest-level neglect charge was dismissed, while the other relatives’ cases remained active.
The coroner ruled the death accidental. In June 2026, local reporting based on court documents said six relatives were charged with varying felony neglect counts and, for some defendants, dog-immunization/harboring allegations. On September 14, 2026, WPTA reported that Jason’s father, Austin Kinsey, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a plea agreement dismissed the highest-level neglect charge in exchange for a new lesser charge; WPTA said the child’s mother had a change-of-plea hearing scheduled later in September and the other relatives’ cases remained active. The WPTA report establishes Kinsey’s disposition but does not establish guilt or final disposition for the remaining defendants. WBIW reported that the dog, Chomp, was surrendered after the attack and euthanized.
Video, reporting and source material
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Primary record used by BiteDB
WPTA/21Alive reported that first responders were called to North Miller Street in Markle on Thursday evening, found 7-day-old Jason A. Weaver in critical condition and attempted lifesaving measures. The Huntington County Coroner’s Office said he died from multiple blunt force injuries, ruled the death accidental and identified the dog as a 5-year-old husky/pit bull mix with no law-enforcement-reported prior aggression at the time of the initial announcement.
Open original source ↗Additional sources
- Infant dead after dog bite at Markle home — WPTA/21Alive initial local police report · 2025-09-05
- 7-day-old boy killed by family dog in northeastern Indiana — WNDU local reporting corroborating coroner findings and breed attribution · 2025-09-05
- Six charged after newborn fatally mauled by family dog in “deplorable” Indiana home — WBIW court-document-based June 2026 charging/disposition follow-up · 2026-06-17
- Father of 7-day-old baby mauled to death by family dog sentenced for neglect — WPTA/21Alive court-case follow-up reporting sentencing and remaining active cases · 2026-09-14
What BiteDB does not infer
Breed is recorded only at the provenance level shown above. Missing injury details, dog history, ownership facts or circumstances remain unknown unless a reliable source establishes them. This record may be updated as police, animal-control, medical, court or follow-up reporting becomes available.