A 17-month-old toddler was killed after an animal attacked him near his Louisiana home.
The body of the toddler, Da’Angelo Zacc Manning, was found a half-mile from his family’s home, according to a press release from the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Officers were first alerted that a toddler and a four-year-old had gone missing from their Claiborne home around 10am on 18 September. It’s unclear if the two children were related.
The older child was found 30 minutes later and was treated for minor scratches by paramedics.
Hours later, around noon, the 17-month-old was found dead in a remote area “where timber had recently been harvested.” Police said the child’s death appeared to be the “result of an animal attack.”
The investigation into Manning’s death was ongoing. Authorities did not mention the type of animal involved in the attack.
The toddler was nicknamed “Snoopy,” according to a GoFundMe page, which is aiming to raise $10,000 to fund funeral expenses.
The child’s mother, Angelica Marquez, posted a tribute to her child on Facebook: “I found out I was pregnant [with] you on my birthday, it was a big surprise for me but I was so happy to have you.”
Manning was “always smiling…you were amazing, trust me, you were, my snoopy, my best friend.”
The grieving mother wrote that she is “trying to keep calm for your brothers” and she regrets that she didn’t “hold you one last time, kissed you and said ‘I love you.’”
She added, “I just don’t know how to get through this baby. I’m so sorry.”
